In July 1942, workmen were clearing a chapel that had been bombed in an air-raid, when they came across the mummified, dismembered body of a woman. Police immediately became suspicious, as there was no reason why this body had been buried in lime.

Forensic scientist Keith Simpson examined the corpse and discovered that the head and limbs had been hacked from the torso, and also that there was bruising around the neck. At first identifying the woman was difficult, but photo-superimposition techniques and dental records identified the woman as Rachel Dobkin, the wife of one Henry Dobkin. Henry Dobkin had been an air-raid warden at the chapel at the start of the war. It was also discovered that Rachel Dobkin had obtained a maintenance order against her husband, and she had been pressing him for a payment.

Before long, it was confirmed that Dobkin had killed his wife out of desperation. He had been separated from her for several years, and had been unable to keep up with the maintenance payments, so had put an end to it all by killing her. In custody, Dobkin had refused to admit his crime, until the forensic evidence was presented. He was tried and found guilty in November 1942, and executed the following January.