In the summer of 1965, the life of Freddie Mills, a 46-year-old male and former world light-heavyweight boxing champion, came to a sudden and mysterious end. On the night of July 24th, he was found deceased in his car, which was parked in an alley behind his London nightclub. A fairground rifle, which he had borrowed from a friend, was discovered in the vehicle with him.
The cause of death was a gunshot wound to his right eye.
Initially, the circumstances surrounding his death were treated as a potential murder by the police. However, within a couple of days, the official investigation shifted, and the coroner's inquest ultimately ruled his death a suicide. The ruling was based on the angle of the bullet wound, which was deemed consistent with being self-inflicted. Mills had reportedly told his nightclub staff he was going to take a nap in his car, a common practice for him. His body was discovered by the doorman around 11:45 p.m., but an ambulance was not summoned until his wife arrived over an hour later.
Despite the official ruling, many of Mills's family and friends never accepted that he had taken his own life. Several inconsistencies fueled suspicions of foul play. Two shots had been fired inside the car, one of which struck the front door. Furthermore, no fingerprints were found on the rifle. His wife, Chrissie, was adamant that he was murdered and later prompted a re-investigation of the case in 1968. Over the years, various theories have emerged, suggesting that Mills was murdered by gangsters. At the time of his death, he was reportedly heavily in debt to a criminal syndicate and was said to be making a stand against protection rackets.
One prevalent theory implicated the notorious Kray twins, infamous London gangsters, in Mills's death. It was suggested that they sought to take over his nightclub. However, there was no concrete evidence to link them to the incident, and even the detective who relentlessly pursued the Krays concluded they were not involved. Other theories pointed to the possibility of his suicide being staged by Chinese gangsters. Despite the lingering questions and the persistent belief by many that he was murdered, no arrests were ever made in connection with the death of Freddie Mills, and the case officially remains a suicide. The true circumstances of his final moments continue to be a subject of debate and speculation.
