Who was Sadie Hartley and were her attackers caught? All about the woman in C5’s Clues That Caught the Killer
SADIE Hartley was 60 years old when she was brutally murdered in her own home.
Here is everything you need to know about the case that is featured in a Channel 5 documentary called Clues That Caught the Killer.
Who was Sadie Hartley?
Sadie Hartley was a wealthy businesswoman.
She was christened Sadie Catherine Cook and was the third of seven children.
She was brought up in a three-bedroomed council house in Newark, Nottinghamshire.
Her dad worked as a lorry driver while her mum was a full-time housewife.
Her family said she had a “happy childhood” and had a “close bond” with her brothers and sisters.
She studied for a degree in microbiology and microchemistry at Brighton Polytechnic – now the University of Brighton.
Sadie began her career working for Janssen, a Johnson and Johnson pharmaceutical company in the sales and marketing team.
Her best friend and future business partner Julie Taylor described her as a “very bright person working within that pharmaceutical industry”.
Sadie and Julie started their own company in 2000 called Hartley Taylor Medical Communications.
What happened to Sadie Hartley?
Sadie returned to her home in Lancashire from tending her horse on January 14, 2016.
The fact that someone has taken her life for no reason whatsoever is disgusting”
Sadie's daughter Charlotte
She was home alone as her partner, Ian Johnston, was away on a ski trip.
Around 8pm that evening there was a knock on the door – which ultimately led to her brutal death.
The 60-year-old was first stunned with a cattle prod by ski instructor Sarah Williams.
She then stabbed Sadie 41 times and shot her with a 500,000-volt stun in what has been described as an “orgy of violence”.
Sarah believed that with Sadie out of the way, she would be able to win back her former lover Ian.
He had ended their relationship after she became “difficult and possessive” and moved on with Sadie.
Police found Sadie’s body the following day when one of her concerned employees reported her missing.
Were Sadie Hartley’s killers caught?
Williams and her accomplice Katrina “Kit” Walsh were caught within days.
Police found Sadie’s DNA on Williams’ bath and a pair of her glasses had a minute trace of blood.
They also found the stun gun and matched it to injuries on Sadie’s cheek.
I feel strongly that it ruined me and my brother’s life”
Sadie's daughter Charlotte
Walsh was also found guilty of the murder of innocent Sadie.
She had bought the murder weapon, the stun gun, a tracking device and a getaway car for the night of the murder.
The criminals bought a GPS tracker to follow Williams’ ex Ian so they could find out where he and Sadie were living.
Little did they know that the tracker also kept a log of THEIR movements.
Among the most incriminating pieces of evidence, though, were Walsh’s diaries.
She kept detailed reports of her meetings with Williams.
The diaries showed they had planned the killing for more than 18 months before carrying it out.
Mr Justice Turner, when sentencing, said it wasn’t a “crime of passion”.
He told the court, as reported by the BBC: “Let no one believe this was a crime of passion. This was a crime of obsession, arrogance, barbarity and pure evil.”
Her daughter, Charlotte, said: “My mum was a very fun loving person. She didn’t judge anyone. She literally didn’t have anything bad to say about anybody.
“She was my hero in some respects. There’s nothing I could fault with her whatsoever. She was looking to retire.
“She was really looking forward to me and Robert having children, and spending a lot more time with us.
“I just want her to be remembered for the happy lovely lady she was; this wasn’t supposed to happen to her.
“The fact that someone has taken her life for no reason whatsoever is disgusting.
“She’s got two children; she’s got her whole family that loves her. It’s just numbing. I feel strongly that it ruined me and my brother’s life.”
How long were Sadie Hartley’s killers jailed for?
Both Williams and Walsh received life sentences for what they did to Sadie.
The judge ordered Williams to serve a minimum of 30 years behind bars.
Walsh was ordered to serve at least 25 years because she “planned and rehearsed [the crime] down to the finest detail”.
How to watch Clues That Caught the Killer
Clues That Caught the Killer airs TONIGHT (May 13) on Channel 5.
The documentary lands on the box at 11.30pm.
Fear not if you miss it as it will become available to watch on My5 after it’s aired.