Murder of Julie Ward

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Julie Ward was murdered in Kenya in 1988 whilst on safari in the Masai Mara game reserve. The subsequent investigation into her death was notable for the indefatigable campaign by her father, John Ward, firstly to persuade the evasive Kenyan authorities to recognise that his daughter was murdered and secondly to try to identify the killer or killers. Three people were charged with her murder, although none were convicted.

Julie Ward, then 28, was a wildlife photographer and her burned, dismembered body was found a week after she went missing on a solo photography safari in the Masai Mara game reserve. The original theory put forth by the Kenyan officials was that she had been eaten by lions and struck by lightning but they later accepted that she was murdered after the efforts of her father John Ward who uncovered evidence that the coroners reported had been altered to disguise the fact that her bones had been cut by a sharp blade rather than gnawed by animals. ^[1]

To date there have been two trials. In 1992 two park rangers were acquitted of her murder then in 1998 the head park warden was also acquitted.^[2]

John Ward has accused the Kenyan government of former President Daniel Moi of trying to cover up Miss Ward's murder in order to prevent damage to the tourist industry.^[3] A former MI6 agent has admitted having a role in the case.^[4]