John Worton

The Background

Suzanne Van Hagen lived in Overbury Road, Northfield, Birmingham, with her partner, John Worton, and their daughter.

• 2007 – 2013: Suzanne was in a long-term relationship with John Worton. It was later revealed that Worton was extremely controlling and physically abusive. Family members noted that Suzanne had become isolated and "a shadow of her former self" during this period.

The Day of the Incident

• 8th February 2013: Emergency services were called to the couple's home in Northfield. Suzanne Van Hagen, aged 34, was found dead in her bed.

• In a separate room of the same house, the body of her partner, John Worton, was also discovered. He had died from a self-inflicted drug overdose (specifically para-methylamphetamine, or "Dr Death").

The Initial (Flawed) Investigation

• February 2013: Following the discovery of the bodies, West Midlands Police initially informed Suzanne’s family that she had died from an accidental overdose of the same "Dr Death" pills that killed Worton.

• February 2013: Police released a press statement suggesting the couple had died as part of a "tragic double drug overdose." No murder investigation was launched at this stage.

The Fight for Truth

• 2013 – 2014: Suzanne’s family, particularly her mother Ann Van Hagen, refused to accept the police's version of events, insisting Suzanne was a victim of domestic violence and did not take drugs. They campaigned for a second post-mortem and a review of the evidence.

• March 2014: A second post-mortem examination was conducted by a different pathologist. This examination found significant evidence of manual strangulation and multiple bruises on Suzanne's body that the first pathologist had failed to properly attribute to an assault.

The Reclassification

• 2017: Following years of pressure, the investigation was officially reclassified. Medical evidence eventually confirmed that Suzanne had been strangled to death.

• July 2017: An inquest officially ruled that Suzanne Van Hagen was unlawfully killed. The coroner concluded that John Worton had murdered her before taking his own life.

Accountability and Aftermath

• 2020: The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) issued a report identifying "serious failings" in the initial police investigation. It was found that officers had ignored clear signs of domestic abuse and a history of police call-outs to the address.

• March 2023: West Midlands Police issued a formal, public apology to the Van Hagen family. They admitted that "bias" regarding the drug-related nature of the scene led to a failure to protect Suzanne’s reputation and a failure to investigate the death as a domestic homicide from the outset.

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