Charles Walton (murder victim)
Charles Walton (1870–1945) was found murdered on the evening of 14 February 1945, (St Valentine’s Day), at The Firs farm on the slopes of Meon Hill, Lower Quinton in Warwickshire, England. The case is notable as the foremost police detective of the era, Chief Inspector Robert Fabian, led the investigation into Walton's death. The chief suspect for the murder was the manager of The Firs, Alfred John Potter, for whom Walton was working on the day he died. However, there was insufficient evidence to convict Potter and the case is currently the oldest unsolved murder in the Warwickshire Constabulary records. The case has earned some notoriety in popular culture due to its supposed connection with the local belief in witchcraft.
Valentine Walton
Walton came from an ancient and knightly family of Great Staughton, in Huntingdonshire. Upon a vacancy he was returned a member of the Long Parliament for the county of Huntingdon. He was from the commencement of the English Civil War a soldier in the army of Parliament, rose to be a colonel, and fell into the king's hands; but was released, and ever after sided with greater steadiness to the army interest. Having married Margaret, sister of Oliver Cromwell, he followed Cromwell in all his designs, and in none with more willingness than in putting King Charles I to death. Walton was one of the 59 Commissioners who sat in judgment at the trial of Charles I. He attended the trial on all the days except 12, 17, 18, 19, and 24 January 1649. He was present on 27 January when sentence was pronounced against Charles, and he signed and sealed that instrument, which commanded Charles to execution.