The Murder of Lynette White: where is Jeffrey Gafoor now?
Lynette White was murdered on Valentine's Day back in 1988, and the horrific crime shocked and devastated the public at the time - particularly when there was a major miscarriage of justice after three innocent men were found guilty of the crime.
Following the investigation being reopened in 2000, new DNA findings confirmed that the actual killer was Jeffrey Gafoor, who subsequently confessed to the murder 15 years after killing Lynette in her home in Cardiff. Find out more about what happened...
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What happened to Lynette White?
Lynette, 20, was described by friends as "pretty and popular". She was a sex worker and the police had been looking for her in the days before her death, as she was living at a friend's flat to avoid giving evidence for the prosecution in two trials. A judge had issued a warrant for her arrest to ensure she would attend court, and so the police said they had been looking for her "all weekend" before finding her body. Lynette had been horrifically attacked, with the pathologist describing it as "a mutilating attack with sexual overtones".
Upon his arrested, Gafoor said that he had paid for sex up front, then changed his mind and wanted his money back when he saw her flat, and attacked her when she refused. Speaking about the moment he spoke about it in court, prosecutor Patrick Harrington GC said: "He took a deep breath and said, ‘Just for the record, I did kill Lynette White. I have been waiting for this for 15 years. Whatever happens to me, I deserve it.'"
Where is Jeffrey Gafoor now?
Jeffrey was given a life sentence in 2003, after confessing that he killed Lynette following an argument over £30. He has been in prison ever since but received a shorter minimum tariff before being considered for parole than the three men who were wrongfully convicted due to pleading guilty.
Jeffrey is currently residing in an open prison and has not been approved for release. In 2023, it was recommended that he could be allowed out on day release, but wasn't deemed suitable following a parole board review.
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In June 2021, the document regarding the Parole hearing read: "After considering the circumstances of his offending, the progress made while in custody, and the other evidence presented in the dossier, the panel was not satisfied that Mr Gafoor was suitable for release.
Lynette was killed in her home
"However, on assessing the benefits and risks of Mr Gafoor remaining in open conditions, the panel recommended that he should do so. He had made considerable efforts to address his areas of risk and had demonstrated steady progress. Mr Gafoor will be eligible for another parole review in due course."
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The probation service also spoke about the release plan for Gafoor, telling ITV: "The panel concluded this outline plan was not ready to manage Mr Gafoor in the community at this stage. His probation officer advised that a gradual return to the community would be needed, using temporary releases to allow Mr Gafoor to be thoroughly tested and to accommodate to the eventual needs of release on life licence."
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