Jill Dando was an English journalist, television presenter, and newsreader who spent most of her career at the BBC. She was born on November 9, 1961, in Somerset and underwent heart surgery when she was three years old. She started her career as a trainee reporter for the local newspaper, the Weston Mercury, and later moved on to a position with the BBC as a newsreader for BBC Radio Devon in 1985. She was one of the most beloved figures in television, having fronted a number of popular BBC shows, including Crimewatch, and was considered the "golden girl" of television during the 1990s.

On the morning of April 26, 1999, Dando was shot in the head in broad daylight on her doorstep of her home in Fulham, southwest London. Her collapsed body was discovered around 14 minutes later by her neighbor at 11:47 am. She was rushed to a nearby hospital and was pronounced dead just after 1 pm.

The investigation into the murder of Jill Dando was complicated, given her status as a revered public figure. There were very few, if any, witnesses to the crime, but an enormous wealth of theories, tips, and leads, incisively detailed in various articles. The immediate suspects were those from Dandos romantic life, but each of the men who had formed romantic relationships with the presenter was swiftly ruled out of the investigation. Barry George was convicted and imprisoned for the murder, but after eight years in prison, he was acquitted following an appeal and retrial. No other suspect has been charged with Dandos murder, and the case remains unsolved.