Neck stab victim dies
A pensioner stabbed in the neck with a barbecue skewer and left for dead at his Black Country home has died. A pensioner stabbed in the neck with a barbecue skewer and left for dead at his Black Country home has died. A full-blown murder inquiry has now been launched by police following the death of 80-year-old Leslie Ince. Mr Ince was attacked at his Walsall home six weeks ago in a brutal crime that shocked the region. He had been battling for his life at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham since being found on February 21 but died at 3.30pm yesterday. Read the full story in the Express & Star.
A full-blown murder inquiry has now been launched by police following the death of 80-year-old Leslie Ince.
Mr Ince was attacked at his Walsall home six weeks ago in a brutal crime that shocked the region.
He had been battling for his life at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham since being found on February 21 but died at 3.30pm yesterday.
An appeal was even launched on BBC's Crimewatch to find his attacker and featured graphic photographs of how the grandfather was found in a cupboard in his home in St Ives Road, Park Hall.
It is thought he had been left for up to three days with a 14-inch skewer still embedded in his torso, with an entry point in his neck.
His family, which includes daughter Stephanie who made a heartfelt appeal to track down those responsible and son Pete who discovered his father, were too upset to talk this morning.
DCI Matt Ward said: "The case is now being treated as a murder inquiry and I urge anyone with information about the attack, or why Leslie might have been attacked, to contact the incident room at Bloxwich Police Station on 0845 113 5000 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."
A post mortem will take place in the next few days.
Police have ruled out burglary after they revealed the ex-Royal Naval officer left a stash of £7,000 cash in his bedroom but they believed Mr Ince knew his attacker.
A £5,000 reward has also been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever is responsible.
Mr Ince, a former Barnado's boy, was filmed going about his business by street CCTV in Walsall town centre on February 17 and was last seen washing his car by a neighbour the next day.