A man being hunted by detectives on suspicion of murdering his estranged wife was caught on CCTV cameras in Shrewsbury, police revealed today.
Diane Ingram, 61, of Cannock, was killed the day before she was due to get a large financial settlement from her husband Harold James, known as Jim.
Mrs Ingram was found dead at her ground-floor flat in Avon Road on March 13.
On April 16 Mr Ingram, 62, was caught on CCTV cameras in Shrewsbury town centre.
Images released today show him reading a newspaper on a bus in Castle Street between 4.19pm and 4.41pm.
He was wearing a flat cap and an adidas jacket and carrying a number of plastic bags. He was also spotted on a bus two days later by CCTV in Lichfield city centre.
Mrs Ingram died from a stab wound to her neck. Jim Ingram was seen on a bus leaving the town at about 3.20pm on March 13.
The couple had been married for nearly 40 years but separated about 18 months before the murder when Mrs Ingram moved out of their home in Don Grove, Cannock, where Mr Ingram still lived.
On March 14 he was due to pay his wife a financial settlement of more than £100,000.
Detective Inspector Ronnie Walker, of Staffordshire Police, said: “One of our lines of inquiry is whether the pending financial settlement may have triggered the tragic events of March 13.
“We are treating Mr Ingram as a murder suspect and urgently want to speak to him.”
All UK police forces and ports have been put on alert regarding Mr Ingram’s disappearance. He is a retired miner who does not drive but uses buses extensively. Detectives say he visits libraries, parks and cheap pubs.
Mr Ingram is usually seen with two plastic bags - one of which is a grey Marks & Spencer carrier bag with “seriously chilled re-usable cool bag” on the side. He is white, about 5ft 7ins tall and of medium build. He walks with a stoop and has unkempt short, greying brown hair. Call (01785) 218600 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
By Tom Warren
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