John Stonehouse, a sitting 1970s Labour MP and former British government minister, planned to fake his death by drowning in Miami Beach so to escape huge debts and start a new life with his mistress. What was the one small clue that led British police to foil Stonehouse's intricate plans; and, cause him to spend the rest of his life in jail?

romeomikegolf

It would seem that he was spotted in an Australian bank by an employee of a New Zealand bank where he had previously deposited a large sum of money. He used different names for each of the accounts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stonehouse#Faking_his_own_death Jul 21 11, 8:57 AM

star_gazer

MATCHBOOK LIGHTS THE WAY TO CRIMINAL...A book of matches bearing the name of a Miami, FL, hotel was the vital clue that led to the discovery in Melbourne of missing Member of Parliament John Stonehouse. For 12 days, Victoria police followed the trail of a "Donald Clive Mildoon," AKA "Joseph Markha." "We were trying to establish whether a fraud had been perpetrated on Melbourne banks, or in a foreign country." Then they found a discarded book of matches from the Fountainbleau Hotel, Miami, FL...which led to finding their mystery suspect...Stonehouse. (from IMC bulletin, July, 1976). http://matchpro.org/Archives/2001/realwld1.pdf Jul 21 11, 9:48 AM