In this episode of Crime Chats, Hilary leads us through the baffling and deeply unsettling death of Gareth Williams, a brilliant mathematician and intelligence officer found dead in a locked duffel bag in his London flat in 2010.

We explore who Gareth was beyond the headlines and unpack the media narratives that quickly emerged after his death. From espionage theories to sensational speculation, we examine what was reported, what doesn’t add up, and why some explanations fall apart under closer scrutiny.

Using insights from the DSM-5, we also discuss and challenge the psychological assumptions that were publicly attached to Gareth. Were these assumptions evidence-based or simply convenient storytelling?

This is a case filled to the brim with unanswered questions and conflicting theories. As sad as it is, it's doubtful we'll ever know the truth.

🧠 What we discuss

• Who Gareth Williams was as a person at work and in his personal life
• His amazing career and work as a mathematician and intelligence officer
• The timeline of events leading up to his death and after
• The major theories surrounding his death
• Media coverage and how the narrative evolved
• Psychological claims made about Gareth and whether they hold up
• How DSM-5 criteria helps contextualize (and question) those claims

🔎 Case themes

• Unexplained death
• Intelligence community secrecy
• Media framing
• Psychological speculation
• Forensic uncertainty

📚 Sources & References

• https://www.cnn.com/2012/05/02/world/europe/uk-spy-mystery-death
• https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/no-new-evidence-found-after-review-into-death-of-british-spy-found-in-bag/72256555
• https://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-news/mi6-spy-gareth-williams-death-body-red-flags-906710-20250816
• https://www.bbc.com/weather/articles/cz60081dpyxo#:~:text=On%20Monday%2C%20many%20parts%20of,east%20Wales%20and%20eastern%20Scotland.&text=As%20well%20as%20heat%20by,heatwave%20days%20in%20southern%20England
• https://www.lbc.co.uk/article/spy-in-the-bag-gareth-williams-was-murdered-claims-investigator-who-tried-to-loc-DWzQRK_2/
• https://shorturl.at/cFirx

💬 Join the conversation

What theory do you find most convincing, and why? We’d love to hear your thoughts!