Two victims brutally murdered in the West Midlands – but whose killers have never been caught

Look closely at the grainy shot of Noel Junior Cockshutt, one of only a handful in public circulation despite his acclaim as a dancer and rapper. It’s hard to comprehend the young man with an infectious smile would be brutally executed in a killing that had the hallmarks of a hit.

Since 1949 when Israel Ellis was unlawfully killed, the list of unsolved West Midlands murders is comparatively short. There are barely more than 100 names on it.

And, despite press references to “cold” and “closed” cases, the search for those responsible never ceases. Cases slow, resources are diminished, but detectives never give up.

Few murderers slip the net because time – the passing of time – emboldens witnesses.

But, to date, those who ended the lives of Resham and Noel continue to walk our streets. There must be friends and relatives of the callous culprits who know their terrible secret, yet have remained silent.

The two cases are among the most baffling of this region’s “whodunnits” because a number of positive leads boosted hopes the killers would be snared sooner rather than later.

There is still no clear motive for either murder and, unlike many others on the unsolved list, the internet is not awash with conspiracy theories. In fact, there is precious little archive material about the crimes.

They have slipped from public conscience.

It has been 45 years since the body of Resham Kaur Dhillon was found in a bedroom of her Fisher Street, Willenhall, home. The mum-of-two had been brutally attacked, bound and gagged with her own clothes, then strangled, a ligature bound round her neck.

That suggests the murderer was inside the property for some time.

We know little about the victim. Details of her life, loves and standing in the community appear to have been airbrushed from history. There are no “kept her self to herself” or “always went out of her way to help” epitaphs from neighbours.

She is a face, the target of a terrible crime. That, now, is all.

There are many missing pieces in the jigsaw puzzle of that March 5, 1979, murder.

Why was the 49-year-old killed? She had not been sexually assaulted. At the time, police believed, but could not be sure, money and gold had been taken.

Why had Resham welcomed the killer into her home? There was no sign of forced entry, spawning a theory the monster had posed as a potential purchaser of the Fisher Street property, up for sale at the time. She believed it was a viewing. It became a violent struggle for survival.

Public appeals initially garnered positive responses, yet over the months the case edged closer to a cul-de-sac of unsubstantiated rumour and gossip. A photofit of two Asian men seen outside the house was circulated to the press, but failed to produce names.

A series of anonymous letters to investigating officers, each pledging to provide key information and described as a “valuable lead”, only further muddied the waters. They revealed nothing that could provide a much-needed break-through.

The force left no stone unturned, interviewing over 3,000 people and taking hundreds of statements. Despite that show of strength, hopes of justice for Resham ebbed a little more with each passing year.

Resham Kaur Dhillon, quiet and unassuming, was subjected to a frenzied, fatal attack that has become a criminal footnote.

She deserves better. And someone reading this has the information that can end decades of torment for her family.

Unlike Resham, Noel Junior Cockshutt’s life was not played out in the shadows. And for a fleeting moment, it was played out in the bright warm spotlight of stardom.

Noel, also known as Mario Campbell, has a unique place on the whodunnit list. As a member of Manchester “collective” 808 State, a band described as acid house pioneers, he appeared on Top of the Pops.

The dancer submerged himself in the loud, party pool of rap music. There was a near constant flow of friends into his Wolverhampton home.

Noel was killed, at the obscenely young age of 22, by a single shot to the head fired at point blank range. Whoever pulled the trigger, knew the victim well enough to enter his Hailes Park Close, Blakenhall, flat and take aim at a distance that left no doubt about the outcome.

His wife Natasha – the couple had a three-year-old daughter – discovered the body on May 8, 2001. Some items had been taken, including a set of keys, video camera and mobile phone. Such paltry booty is not an incentive to commit murder.

Police believed the killing may have had its roots in Noel’s former home city of Manchester. He moved from the suburb of Rusholme to the Black Country some five years before being slain and retained strong links to the area.

They spoke of six masked men at the scene – and six arrests were made. No one, however, has been charged.

Local press underplayed Noel’s stint with clubland headliners 808 State which enjoyed 1989 mainstream top ten chart success with 'Pacific State', an anthem of the rave scene.

But to music industry publications, he was part of, according to AllMusic, “one of the most important dance music acts of all time”.

AllMusic added: “808 State played a major role in popularising acid house in the UK at the end of the 1980s, and have remained a primary influence on several generations of techno, IDM and alternative dance artists.”

Rapper MC Tunes, who joined the group in the early 1990s, described Noel as “one of the most talented youngsters I had met in my life”.

He told New Musical Express: “The boy could sing and dance, he had personality. I’m gutted about it, absolutely gutted about it. He was like my little brother. He was one of the most talented youngsters I had met in my life. It’s absolutely tragic. He was a baby, a little boy, and he wanted to be something, he wanted to do it and he got shot. Not through any fault of his own. Not because of any lack of talent.”

The band’s website informed their global fanbase: “Noel Cockshutt, aka Mario Campbell, is dead. He was found murdered on May 8, at only 22 years of age.

“'Dewiz' performed on Primary Rhyming and danced in the videos The Only Rhyme That Bites and Tunes Splits The Atom back in 1990 with MC Tunes. Rest in peace Noel, from all the original 808 State posse.”

From the investigation’s very beginning, detectives encountered individuals who were reluctant to engage with them.

That reticence moved Detective Chief Inspector Mark Phillips to tell reporters: “People out there know who killed Mario and why. We have not exactly been met with a wall of silence but there is a reluctance in the community to come forward and provide details which will lead to the arrest of the persons responsible for his death.”

Tongues did not loosen with the passing of time – or impassioned pleas by Noel’s family.

In a 2003 police appeal, Detective Inspector Clive Mansell added a new twist to the riddle.

He said: "Noel was so well known that on a daily basis he would have several visitors – friends, family, associates.

"For the four days immediately following the murder there appears to have been no visitors to Noel's home address and no information about what was going on during that four-day period."

That’s odd. That suggest some individuals knew more than they were prepared to tell the authorities.

In life, Resham and Noel walked very different paths. In death, they are linked by one uncomfortable bond: those who took their lives have never been apprehended.

There is, however, still hope. Police will never say the killers got away with it. But they have to admit they’ve been getting away with it for a long time.

Like all historic, unsolved crimes, only the public can stoke a fire under both cases.

Last month West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster said: “An unsolved murder adds untold distress, upset and trauma to the victims’ family and friends, who are already grieving the loss of a loved one. It’s vital that justice is served and that is why West Midlands Police work around the clock to bring perpetrators of the most heinous crimes to justice.

"If any member of the community has any information that could help officers solve these cases then I would urge that person to contact the police immediately.”