A cold-blooded killer has been locked up for a minimum of 27 years after stabbing his ex-wife 19 times at their son’s graveside. Martin Suter, 68, lay in wait in a cemetery before brutally murdering Ann Blackwood in a shocking act of violence at Crofton Cemetery, Stubbington.
Brutal Murder at Son’s Graveside
Martin Suter, from Lee-on-the-Solent, pleaded guilty to the savage killing of 71-year-old Ann Blackwood on July 24, 2023 — the day that would have been their son Christopher’s 36th birthday.
Dressed in a beige suit and striped tie, Suter was also sentenced for an unrelated indecent assault on a girl under 14, admitted earlier this year at Manchester’s Crown Court.
Horrific Details of the Attack
Prosecutor Robert O’Sullivan KC laid bare the cold, calculated nature of the crime. “Suter armed himself with a large kitchen knife and waited at the cemetery, anticipating Ann’s visit to her son’s grave,” he said.
When Ann arrived on her bicycle, Suter plunged the knife into her back — breaking the blade. He then cruelly turned a pair of scissors, which Ann had brought to trim flowers, into a deadly weapon, stabbing her 19 times around the neck and shoulders.
At 3.39pm that day, Suter calmly rang 999 and confessed: “I have just murdered someone, I have just killed my ex-wife, I have just stabbed her to death.”
Family Left Heartbroken
“The fact that such wickedness can be perpetrated is beyond our comprehension,” said Ann’s brother John Blackwood. “She was a kind-hearted mother and friend, popular in her community. Her brutal death has devastated us all.”
Judge Hands Down Heavy Sentence
Sentencing at Portsmouth Crown Court, Judge Michael Bowes KC said: “No sentence can compensate Ann’s family and friends for their devastating loss.”
Suter was jailed for 27 years and 109 days for murder, with an additional 121 days for indecent assault. The judge added: “Christopher’s death was a tragic loss but doesn’t reduce your culpability. You committed this wicked, cruel murder at a place where Ann should have felt safe.”
The Tragic Backstory
- Christopher’s death in 2003 was ruled accidental.
- Martin and Ann divorced in 2004 after having two children and living in Stockport.
- Suter blamed Ann for wrecking his life and their son’s death.
- He told his second wife, “I know I’m going to prison, I may as well go for this.”
Diagnosed with autism and depression, Suter has shown no genuine remorse and originally contested the murder charge.
A Community in Mourning
Ann Blackwood was beloved for her warm nature and active retirement, enjoying tennis, sailing, cycling, and music. Her horrific death has left a lasting scar on the local community, who remember her as a loving mother and friend.
