Marathon Run Honors Best Friend Killed in Domestic Homicide
A woman whose closest friend was brutally murdered by her estranged husband is preparing to run the London Marathon to honor her memory and raise critical awareness about femicide across the United Kingdom. Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, 59, is dedicating her marathon effort to Joanna Simpson, who was beaten to death with a claw hammer by her husband, British Airways pilot Robert Brown, in October 2010.
A Friendship Shattered by Violence
Hetti and Joanna first met in 2003 when their youngest children attended the same nursery, quickly forming an unbreakable bond. "She became the most amazing friend and soulmate," Hetti recalled, describing shared family holidays and mutual support through life's challenges. Tragically, Hetti was "very privy" to the escalating problems in Joanna's marriage, as her friend confided in her about Robert's controlling behavior.
"She didn't recognise it as domestic abuse at the time," Hetti explained. "There were threats of violence, but no physical violence, so it was much more about intimidation, undermining her, isolating her, and making her feel worthless."
The Horrific Crime That Shook a Community
On October 31, 2010, Robert Brown returned his two children to Joanna's Berkshire home after a half-term visit. Less than an hour after Hetti's final phone conversation with her friend, Brown took a hammer he had brought with him and bludgeoned Joanna to death while their children, aged 10 and 9, were in earshot. He then placed her body in his car, covered it in plastic sheeting, and drove to Windsor Great Park where he had previously dug a grave.
"My world fell apart," Hetti remembered about learning of Joanna's disappearance. "It was an absolute living nightmare. When I found out 10 days later that the police had found her in a deep grave with effectively a murder kit in the box, that was when I just went into complete trauma."
Campaigning for Justice and Change
Despite overwhelming evidence, Robert Brown was found guilty of manslaughter rather than murder in May 2011, receiving a 26-year prison sentence. "When the jury said 'not guilty' to murder, we were all devastated and shocked," Hetti said. "The police were crying. We were crying. It was absolute torture."
In the years since, Hetti has channeled her grief into activism. Along with Joanna's mother, Diana Parkes, she successfully campaigned for landmark legal guidance for domestic homicide trials and established the Joanna Simpson Foundation in 2014 to support children affected by domestic abuse and homicide. By 2020, Hetti became chairwoman of the charity Refuge, working on the frontlines of domestic abuse support.
Royal Support and Marathon Preparation
Hetti's advocacy brought her story to royal attention. In 2016, she and Diana met with the Duchess of Cornwall, now Queen Camilla, who was "profoundly affected" by Joanna's story. The Queen Consort has continued to reference this meeting, describing how Joanna's story became "engraved on her heart." Significantly, Queen Camilla has personally donated to Hetti's London Marathon fundraiser this year.
For the marathon, Hetti will wear a special butterfly cape representing the 110 women suspected to have been killed by men in the UK over the past year, according to the Femicide Census. "Awareness fundamentally saves lives," she explained. "I wanted to somehow find a way to represent these women. I think butterflies are a really powerful visual way of demonstrating the volume of what we're talking about."
Running with Purpose and Memory
Hetti, who describes herself as "not a runner," began training in January with three weekly runs, building up her endurance for the 26.2-mile challenge. She was inspired to participate after seeing Sergio Aguiar, father of a victim from the 2024 Southport attack, complete last year's marathon and raise significant awareness.
"I am already really emotional about doing this marathon," Hetti admitted. "I'm going to be wearing a wristband with Jo's name on it, as well as one with the names of some other women who have really touched me during my journey, who are no longer here."
Reflecting on her friend's character, Hetti added: "Jo was so strong and so determined. But she would say I'm absolutely mad for doing this marathon. I'll be thinking about her throughout."
Hetti is calling for increased government funding for frontline domestic abuse services while raising money for Refuge through her marathon efforts. The charity's National Domestic Abuse Helpline provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 0808 2000 247.
