Evidence · Marconi scientists' deaths, 1982–1990

Missing the night before, petrol in the boot, police suspected suicide

Sands's wife reported him missing on the evening of 28 March 1987; two days later he drove at speed into an empty cafe with petrol cans in the boot, and Hampshire police worked on a suicide theory.

Suggestive0

What it means

Key questionWhich of the deaths remain unexplained after their inquests, and what would settle each one?

No evidence yet

No evidence yetunchanged

Part of itWas David Sands's crash into a disused cafe on 30 March 1987 deliberate?

2 answers, none ahead yet

Openwas No evidence yet

Answer this evidence bears onDeliberate: suicide by crash

Supports1 for, none against

Still possiblewas No evidence yet

What it implies

The circumstances point to a deliberate act, though intent was not proved at the inquest.For: Was David Sands's crash into a disused cafe on 30 March 1987 deliberate?

Next steps 2

Find the Hampshire inquest report on Sands (May 1987)

Could decideFair odds~3 h

On: Was David Sands's crash into a disused cafe on 30 March 1987 deliberate?Set by this evidence

39score

Details

Local press (Basingstoke Gazette, Hampshire Chronicle) for May 1987 reported the inquest. The evidence heard (where he was on 28-30 March, where the petrol came from) would settle intent.

Find the Sands inquest report

Could shiftFair odds~4 h

On: Was David Sands's crash into a disused cafe on 30 March 1987 deliberate?

21score

Details

Find Hampshire press coverage of David Sands's 1987 inquest (Basingstoke Gazette, Southern Evening Echo) for the evidence heard on intent.

Ranked by how likely each is to move the key question, for the time it takes

Sources 3

Inquiry sought into deaths of scientists

NZPA-PA 1987

SRC

Mr. David Sands: written answer, House of Commons, 9 April 1987 (HC Deb vol 114 c361W)

Commons 1987

SRC

Scientists' Deaths Mystify British

Witt 1988

SRC

Cite it

Mysteries Department. (2026). Missing the night before, petrol in the boot, police suspected suicide [Evidence EVD0DGGD6PEJ9QD]. https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DGGD6PEJ9QD

@misc{mysteriesdept_evd0dggd6pej9qd,
  title     = {Missing the night before, petrol in the boot, police suspected suicide},
  author    = {{Mysteries Department}},
  year      = {2026},
  note      = {Evidence, catalog key EVD0DGGD6PEJ9QD},
  url       = {https://mysteriesdept.com/r/EVD0DGGD6PEJ9QD}
}