A documentary exploring the killing of Joanna Simpson, who was bludgeoned to death in Ascot by her estranged husband, will be shown on ITV next week.
The British Airways Killer tracks the complex investigation by Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Unit into mother-of-two Joanna’s killing at the hands of pilot Robert Brown.
The 46-year-old disappeared from her house in Ascot on Halloween night in 2010 with Brown notifying police the following morning of a domestic issue.
Yet when he handed himself in, he refused to help police with their missing persons investigation, despite having brutally killed Joanna while her children were in the house.
Eventually, Brown admitted to police he had killed Joanna and buried her in a shallow grave in Windsor Great Park.
With access to unseen police interview tapes, the two-part documentary hears from Joanna’s friends and family to share their story of the crime and its aftermath.
Brown received a 26-year prison sentence in 2011 after admitting manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but was cleared of murder.
The former BA pilot had been eligible for early automatic release in November 2023 having served half his sentence but this was blocked by the Justice Secretary following a campaign by Joanna’s family.
Diana Parkes, Joanna’s mother, and best friend Hetti Barkworth-Nanton launched the Joanna Simpson Foundation in 2014 to support vulnerable children at risk of domestic abuse.
The pair were both appointed as CBEs (Commanders of the British Empire) in the New Year’s Honours list.
The first episode of The British Airways killer will air on ITV1 at 9pm on Monday, February 26.
