British Man Pleads Guilty to Murdering Ex-Wife at Son’s Grave on 20th Anniversary of His Death

Crofton Cemetery

A 68-year-old British man has pleaded guilty to the murder of his ex-wife at the same cemetery where their late teenage son was buried exactly 20 years earlier, authorities confirmed following the lifting of a court-imposed reporting restriction.

Martin Suter admitted to the killing of 71-year-old Ann Blackwood on July 24, 2023, at Crofton Cemetery in Stubbington, Hampshire — the final resting place of their son, Christopher, who died in 2003 at age 16. The tragic murder took place precisely two decades to the day of their son's burial.

Ann Blackwood was killed at a graveyard

Blackwood was pronounced dead at the scene after the fatal attack. Suter was arrested and charged shortly after the incident, and his guilty plea was entered later that year. The case had been subject to legal restrictions until recently, when a judge permitted public disclosure of the proceedings.

Blackwood’s family issued a statement through local police expressing heartbreak over the loss. “Her daughter, brothers, and many friends are absolutely devastated. Ann was a loving, caring, kind-hearted mother and friend, well-known and well-loved in her local community,” the statement said. “She was enjoying her retirement with an active lifestyle that included tennis, sailing, cycling, and music.”

Martin Suter, 68, pleaded guilty to murder

The quiet Stubbington neighborhood, known for its low crime rate, was left stunned by the murder. “You never expect something so horrific to happen so close to home, especially in such a friendly community,” one resident said.

Suter, a former local politician affiliated with the Green Party, had previously run for council elections on three occasions. He now faces sentencing for the murder, with the case drawing widespread attention due to its tragic timing and setting.

Ann Blackwood's coffin being carried at her funeral