The mysterious circumstances surrounding Brian Jones’s death have haunted the music world for decades.
According to BBC News, the former Rolling Stones guitarist was found dead in his swimming pool at Cotchford Farm in Hartfield, Sussex. The initial investigation reached a straightforward conclusion. Jones had drowned in his swimming pool after taking a cocktail of drink and drugs.
This seemingly closed the case on what appeared to be a tragic accident. But the story took a different turn as allegations of foul play began surfacing from associates of the Rolling Stones.
The Claims Of Murder
The most prominent theory focused on Frank Thorogood, a builder working on Jones’s property. Thorogood was reportedly the last person to see the musician alive and the number one suspect.
News reported Thorogood’s alleged motive as a financial dispute. The builder was said to have received £18,000 for work on Cotchford Farm but demanded an additional £6,000, leading to the said crime.
Moreover, Crime Reads reported that Anna Wohlin, Jones’s girlfriend at the time, observed suspicious behavior from Thorogood during his police statement. She specifically noted his nervousness and unusual conduct on the night of the incident. But Sussex Police said there wasn’t enough reason to deny the original verdict of death by misadventure.
The Question Mark Is Yet To Disappear
According to American Songwriter, Sussex Police conducted two additional reviews in 1984 and 1994. Both reviews failed to produce evidence that would challenge the original verdict. The case gained new attention in 2009 when Sussex Police conducted one more review.
Investigative journalist Scott Jones presented new evidence and previously unseen police files from the National Archives. Tom Keylock, the Rolling Stones’ driver, made a compelling statement about the case. “The orders came from the very top not to pursue it anymore, and it never was pursued after that,” he said, suggesting potential interference in the original investigation.
Jones’s children, John and Barbara, maintain their belief that their father was murdered. Barbara participated in the 2019 documentary ‘Rolling Stone: Life and Death of Brian Jones’ to support this theory.
