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DNA Breakthrough Identifies Deceased Suspect in 2005 Eastbourne Murder

Familial DNA tracing from a cigarette butt linked Keith Dowbekin to Jennifer Kiely’s killing, closing the case without a prosecution.

Overview

  • Sussex Police publicly named Keith Dowbekin as the suspected killer and said the investigation is concluded.
  • A full male profile from a cigarette butt matched DNA on Jennifer Kiely’s body, which detectives say indicates a sexually motivated attack.
  • Familial DNA searching launched in 2018 narrowed potential relatives, and a 2024 sample provided the match that identified Dowbekin.
  • Dowbekin died in 2014, and police said they would have sought CPS authority to prosecute if he were alive and are not seeking anyone else.
  • Investigators acknowledged missed opportunities, noting his 2003–04 rape arrests in Norfolk without DNA collection and a Dover stop-check a week after the murder that did not flag him.