Police officers failed to spot that an elderly widow whose throat had been cut had been murdered . Una Crown , 86 , was repeatedly stabbed in the neck and then set on fire in the horrific attack at the bungalow where she lived alone . But detectives , paramedics and firefighters trampled through her home , ‘ severely contaminating ’ the murder scene , after concluding that she had somehow set herself alight after falling on her cooker . Police had found the body of the retired postmistress , pictured with late husband Jack Roland Crown , covered in blood and with her clothing 'burnt to a crisp ' in the hallway . Muddy footprints were left on the floor , a detective touched her front door key with his bare hand and her grieving family was even allowed into the property to clean it up . Concerns were only raised two days later by a mortuary technician . It was another two days before a pathologist examined the body and confirmed the fatal injuries , along with multiple defensive wounds on Mrs Crown ’ s hands . Detectives are still hunting the killer two years after her brutal death . Coroner William Morris yesterday attacked the services involved for allowing vital clues to be lost as he recorded a verdict of unlawful killing . ‘ I have to say the handling of evidence by the police has been unfortunate , ’ he said . A theory was formed relatively early on by acting detective sergeant Simon Gledhill that Una Crown had fallen on the hob or cooker and somehow set fire to herself and panicked , and had a heart attack and collapsed in the hallway . ‘ In this suspicious death , foul play was too readily dismissed by police officers. ’ Not treating the area as a full crime scene prevented a ‘ proper forensic examination ’ from being carried out . Mrs Crown ’ s niece , Judith Paynes , told the hearing she was lost for words . ‘ I can not understand why this evidence wasn ’ t picked up , ’ she said . Una Crown , 86 , was found dead in the hallway of her bungalow in Wisbech , Cambridgeshire , after family and neighbours became concerned for her welfare . Mrs Crown , a retired postmistress , was found dead at her home in Wisbech , Cambridgeshire , on January 13 , 2013 , after family and friends became concerned about her whereabouts . She was covered in blood with her clothing ‘ burnt to a crisp ’ when the emergency services found her . Mr Gledhill was one of the first officers to arrive . In a statement to the inquest in Huntingdon he said there was no sign of forced entry and the death ‘ looked accidental ’ . Emergency services collectively concluded that the fire was caused when a tea towel caught fire on the hob . Home Office pathologist Nat Carey told the hearing : ‘ This was clearly a homicide from the wounds I saw – that ’ s not to say that ’ s how it was treated . ‘ I concluded that she died from multiple stab wounds to her chest and neck. ’ Police cordoned off the home after the original officers , paramedics and firefighters who attended the scene on January 13 2013 all decided the widow had died in an accident . Forensic teams finally investigate the crime scene outside Mrs Crown 's home- four days after her body was found . Senior investigator Detective Inspector Fraser Wylie told the inquest : ‘ The scene was severely contaminated by the police , firefighters and paramedics because this had not been initially picked up as a murder investigation. ’ A paramedic had prodded the body and transferred Mrs Crown ’ s blood to a light switch before rummaging through a chest of drawers . Mr Gledhill used latex gloves during his time at the house but admitted washing a bloodstained key under a tap after he touched it . Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hopkins said the family ’ s complaints had been upheld in a review by the Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire professional standards department in June 2013 . Officers were provided with extra training as a result but none faced formal disciplinary procedures . ‘ We recognise the failings by our officers in the initial stages of this investigation and we are deeply sorry for any hurt this has caused Mrs Crown ’ s family , ’ he said . Several people have been arrested in connection with the murder , but all have been released without charge . Home Office pathologist Nat Cary found the death was 'clearly homicide ' and 'said that the police 's delay had meant that the crime scene had been 'severely contaminated '
William Morris found burnt and stabbed but police initially ruled it an accident . Coroner said vital clues had been lost and death was 'clearly homicide ' Initial investigation saw PC wash a blood stained key after touching it . Paramedics , fire crews and police also allowed to trample scene with mud . Murder investigation was not started until four days after body was found .