Sir David Attenborough’s builders didn’t expect the chilling discovery of a human skull when refurbishing his home – but the find helped solve a decades-old murder mystery.
The natural historian purchased his London home in 2009, and the eerie discovery was made in the back yard in October of the following year, when Attenborough started refurbishments on the property.
A police investigation revealed that the discovery had answered a Victorian murder mystery, with the skull determined to belong to a woman who was murdered in 1879.
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Julia Martha Thomas was murdered by her housemaid over 130 years ago in what had been dubbed the ‘Barnes mystery’, and after her skull was found, the coroner recorded a verdict of unlawful killing, with the cause of death found to be asphyxiation and a head injury.Julia Martha Thomas, who had resided in the home, employed an Irish immigrant with a record of minor thefts as her domestic servant. Kate Webster had become known to her employer after filling in as a cleaner for a woman who lived nearby.
Thomas was probably oblivious to her new maid’s criminal past, but within a few weeks, cracks started to appear.
Just under a month after Webster was hired, her employment was terminated on February 28.
Webster managed to persuade Thomas to give her three more days in her role, but it was this decision that sealed her fate. On March 2, Thomas challenged Webster over her poor work, beginning the events that led to her death.
Webster didn’t deny killing her employer. She said: « She had a heavy fall, and I became agitated at what had occurred, lost all control of myself, and to prevent her screaming and getting me into trouble, I caught her by the throat. In the struggle, she was choked, and I threw her on the floor. »How did the skull end up in Attenborough’s garden?
There have been allegations thrown around about what Webster did with the body. Some say that she gave the body fat to the local pub and neighbours, passing it off as lard.
She didn’t admit to passing off the body fat, but she did cut the corpse up, boil it in the laundry copper and incinerate the bones in the fireplace.
It was thought that she had then dumped the rest of the remains, including the head, into the River Thames.
But 131 years later, the mystery was solved, and Thomas’ skull was not in the river – it was in a British broadcaster’s new landscaped garden.
A Freedom of Information Request has revealed police visited D4vd’s Los Angeles rental mansion two months before officials found a decomposing body in a Tesla belonging to the singer.
Police were alerted to a vehicle in a Hollywood tow yard in Los Angeles that had an unpleasant smell coming from it last month.
Upon further investigation, police made the horrifying discovery of a decomposing body in the trunk of the vehicle.
Authorities soon revealed that the car was registered to the singer D4vd, real name David Anthony Burke.
His representative previously said in a statement that the singer ‘has been informed about what’s happened, and although he is still out on tour, he is fully cooperating with the authorities’.Police have since identified the body as 15-year-old Celeste Rivas – who was reported missing in April 2024 when she was just 13 years old.
The police investigation into Rivas’ death remains ongoing, although no arrests have been made.
From February 2024 to September 2025, D4vd’s manager, John Marshall, is believed to have rented out a $4.7 million home in Hollywood, equipped with four bedrooms and four bathrooms for the musician.
Information obtained by the US Sun through an FOI revealed a neighbor called 911 on July 20 at 4:38am citing a ‘public nuisance’.
However, police didn’t arrive at the Los Angeles digs until 8:57am, with a spokesperson from the LAPD confirming a call was made because of loud music playing.
When police got to the house, the situation had been resolved.
A former neighbor of D4vd told the US Sun that he saw the singer and Rivas ‘all the time’. »I didn’t know he was a singer, but I knew he had a Tesla as it was always parked outside, » he said.
« I’d be in my car and we’d acknowledge each other, say ‘hi’, that was about it, when they were heading to the store or wherever. »
The former neighbor added: « Any time I tried to talk to them, they weren’t very engaging. They kept to themselves. »
At this time, it remains unclear when Rivas died and what the cause of her death was. However, law enforcement has previously stated that they believe the teenager had been deceased for an extended period of time.
« At this time, the LAPD does not have a crime classification from the coroner as to the mode or manner of death, » the LAPD said in a statement.
« Thus, we do not have any suspect information at this time. »
A 13-year-old has been arrested after police allege the teen had plotted to commit a school shooting, while his mom is also behind bars – accused of aiding her son.
A community in San Antonio, Texas, descended into panic in May after it became known that a boy had been preparing to carry out a massacre on the grounds of Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School – located just a 15-minute drive from the city center.
In May, the schoolboy arrived on campus ‘wearing a mask, camouflage jacket and tactical pants but left shortly after’, police confirmed – before later catching up with him away from the school and charged him with terrorism.
According to court documents, his mom Ashley Pardo had taken him to a military store where she bought him the gear, including ammunition. The 33-year-old reportedly purchased the equipment as a reward ‘in exchange for babysitting his siblings’, officials claim.
Meanwhile, the teen’s grandmother blew the whistle on her grandson as she rang the police to inform them of her fears, after he told her that he was ‘going to be famous’ before leaving for school on May 12.
Who is Ashley Pardo and her son?
Ashley Pardo is a mom of at least two children – the first being the 13-year-old who she is accused of having been complicit in his plans to carry out a school shooting. The other known child being an infant, who at 11 months old, she took a picture of herself pointing a shotgun at her baby.
Her teen son was a student at Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School and was a known delinquent, with court records noting that he was accused of setting fires in dumpsters near apartment complexes when he was just 11 years old.
It has also been reported that the teenager has previously been found hitting a live bullet with a hammer.
Both Pardo and her son remain in custody.
Why have police not named the boy?
In the US, children under the age of 18, who have been arrested in relation to a crime, are awarded anonymity until adulthood or up until their case is transferred to an adult court.
In this instance, Pardo’s teen son’s identity will be protected by law in the initial stages of the case, but could be released if a judge ruled that it is in the public’s interest due to the severity of the case.
Charges Ashley Pardo faces and court orders
Pardo has become the first person in Bexar County history to face a charge of aiding in the commission of terrorism, after officials accused her of arming her 13-year-old son with a plot to carry out mass violence at his San Antonio middle school.
As mentioned previously, Pardo allegedly bought several things to help her son commit a shooting, such as ammunition, tactical gear, and loaded magazines – according to court documents
It is claimed that Pardo gave her son the equipment to kill ‘in exchange for babysitting his siblings’, officials said.
The mom was arrested in relation to the incident but posted a $75,000 bond.
Aiding in the commission of terrorism isn’t the only charge Pardo is facing, as she was arrested yesterday (August 1) on a new charge of endangering a child with criminal negligence.
The fresh charge came after an image was found among evidence of the shooting plot, which was allegedly sent from Pardo to the father of her 11-month-old child, according to the arrest warrant.
The image is said to show her holding a shotgun to the infant’s head, with her finger on the trigger guard as the baby reached for the barrel of the gun, police said.
Ashley Pardo and her son remain in custody in connection to the alleged school shooting plot (Police handout)
Ashley Pardo and her son remain in custody in connection to the alleged school shooting plot (Police handout)
In the text, she allegedly called the baby a ‘brat’ and stated: “Tell her to keep being bad.”
After her arrest on Friday, the mother was ordered to have no contact with her children, and she must wear an ankle monitor if released from jail – with a bond set at $45,000.
She is also unable to own firearms or drink alcohol, as per the judge’s orders.
According to the police, she showed no guilt for the charges she faces, with San Antonio Police Chief William McManus stating during a news conference in May: “She appeared to be dismissive and unconcerned with her son’s behavior.
“Her behavior is not only dangerous – it’s abhorrent, especially as a parent.”
Charges Pardo’s son faces
The teenager is currently only facing a third-degree felony firearm charge – possession of a prohibited weapon, although it is expected that he will face more charges.
He has also been deemed a risk to public safety, and so his grandmother’s plea for him to be released into her custody with a GPS tracker on has been thrown out by the judge.
His next hearing is set for August 7.
What inspired the boy to want to commit school shooting?
Authorities allege Pardo’s son drew maps of his school months before his arrest, which was marked ‘suicide route,’ as his fascination with white supremacist mass shooters led him to plan an attack at Rhodes Middle School.
It was discovered that the teen had been researching the facts around the horrific 2019 Christchurch Mosque massacre, allegedly telling his grandmother – who reported it to the police – that he was ‘going to be famous’.
This was a reference to Brenton Tarrant, who committed the mass shooting on the New Zealand church, killing 51.
As for their home, authorities say they found white supremacist slogans and symbols such as references to ’14 worlds,’ ‘SS,’ and swastikas, as well as an improvised explosive device, handwritten lists of mass shooters and their victims, and evidence of an obsession with violence.
McManus said the family’s behavior, and what was found within the home, had forced authorities to act fast.
“There were some very disturbing things found inside that house,” he said. “That kind of was an indication to us that we needed to move very quickly.”
Why school let the teen back in despite findings
San Antonio Independent School District officials found violent drawings in the boy’s possession, including maps of the school.
Despite the findings, he was allowed back on campus on May 8 after spending time at an alternative programme, with SAISD Police Chief Johnny Reyes stating: “I can understand the parents’ concerns. But again, the students still have a right to be in school unless it poses an immediate threat.”
According to court documents, on May 12, the teen arrived to school wearing a mask, tactical pants, and a camouflage jacket, causing the school to alert the police.
What Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School said
On May 12, Rhodes Middle School’s principal Felismina Martinez issued a statement to parents on Facebook.
« Dear Families, I want to inform you of an incident that involved a student. Our police department investigated a concern with some posts the student made online, » it read.
« The student was detained off-campus and is being charged with Terrorism. Please know we take all potential threats seriously and act immediately to protect everyone in our care.
« We will always remain vigilant to ensure our learning and working environment is safe and secure. Student safety is a top priority at SAISD (San Antonio Independent School District) schools, and we want to keep families informed of situations as soon as we are able. We thank you for your support and understanding. »
A week later, the school posted to the social media platform to inform parents that students should not bring backpacks to the school gates for the remainder of the academic year.
« No more student backpacks will be allowed for the rest of the school year, » it urged.
One concerned mother commented under the initial post: « This should not be the only way to communicate something like this?!? The mother is out on bond and I do not feel safe sending my son the rest of the school year!
« A phone call or email would have been better than posting on Facebook!! What if something had happened?!??? »
While another mom added: « Poorly worded response from the school. Made the situation sound a lot less serious than it really is.
« The tone of this letter sounds like Rhodes had something simple as an electrical issue at school not a possible mass shooting being intervened. »
With a third typing: « What’s going to happen now ? She’s out and bond & who knows where her child is ? What if they both go to the school ? »
A worry that other parents agreed with, as another mom asked: « What are the precautions taken in this situation? I’m scared to send my child to school.. »
UNILAD has contacted San Antonio Independent School District for comment.
