Murder of Rachel McLean

Rachel Margaret McLean (1971–1991) was a British student at St. Hilda's College in Oxford, England, when she was murdered by her boyfriend, John Tanner, a day after she had refused his marriage proposal.

It took police searchers seventeen days to locate the body hidden in an eight-inch-high gap at the back of a cupboard under the stairs, crammed with household junk.

After emptying the cupboard's contents, Tanner had dragged McLean's body, clothed in ski pants and a T-shirt, from the adjacent bedroom, along the hall, and into the recess under the floor.

As he waited for the 6:30 p.m. train to Nottingham, Tanner penned a love letter to McLean, which he later posted to her 25 Argyle Street address.

She was due to attend a meeting with her tutor that morning to discuss work for the new term and sit a pre-term exam at St. Hilda's in the afternoon.

McLean's description – 5 ft 6 in tall, slim, fresh complexion, shoulder-length ginger-auburn hair and brown eyes – was circulated to local patrols.

On 21 April, after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) took control of the inquiry, an initial search of McLean's house was made by detectives.

By 28 April, police were now convinced that McLean was dead, and ordered search teams to examine sewers and cess pits around the area of Argyle Street.

The following day, Tanner surprised police by agreeing to take part in a press conference and reconstruction of what he claimed were their final movements.

During an hour-long re-enactment, with PC Helen Kay playing McLean's role, Tanner posed in the station café, strolled along the platform and replayed the final embrace and kiss they shared before he boarded the train.

At the beginning of May, police contacted Oxfordshire County Council for details regarding the layout of houses in Argyle Street, particularly about their basements.

During a four-day trial at Birmingham Crown Court, in which he pleaded not guilty,[1] Tanner said that McLean had told him she had been unfaithful and wanted to end the relationship.

[9] A documentary, entitled "Love You to Death", part of ITV's Real Crime series, was aired in 2004,[1] with Thea Rowland portraying Rachel McLean and Noah Huntley playing John Tanner.