Gordon Wardell was born on May 8, 1953, in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. 

On the morning of September 12, 1994, Carol Wardell's body was discovered by a passing motorist on a grass verge in Nuneaton. Police cordoned off the area and began investigating. They found that Carol had been strangled, and her body appeared to have been dumped from a vehicle. Meanwhile, at the Wardell home in Meriden, police found Gordon Wardell tied and gagged in the living room. He was treated for injuries and questioned by the police.

Gordon told officers that he had come home to find Carol being held at knife-point by a man wearing a clown mask. He claimed he was knocked to the ground and drugged. During a press conference, he appeared in a wheelchair and described his experience. He emphasized that he wanted to find his wife's killers, though his past convictions for serious crimes raised suspicions.

As the investigation progressed, police conducted a reconstruction of the events leading up to the murder. However, they began to doubt Gordon’s story. Witnesses did not confirm seeing him at a pub where he claimed to have been before the incident. Additionally, the way he was found in his home did not fit his description of the attack. Forensic experts expressed doubts about the drug he mentioned, saying no such substance could keep someone unconscious for hours. Investigators also discovered that Gordon had a history of visiting prostitutes.

On October 20, 1994, Gordon Wardell was arrested on suspicion of his wife’s murder. After four days of questioning, he was charged with her murder and additional charges related to the burglary of The Woolwich Building Society, where significant money was stolen.

The trial began at Oxford Crown Court, where prosecutors argued that Gordon had killed Carol and staged the scene to mislead investigators. During the trial,, experts noted that his physical condition at the time of discovery did not support his claims. The jury heard from numerous witnesses over the course of six weeks. They ultimately deliberated for about nine and a half hours before finding Gordon guilty of murder.

On December 21, 1995, Gordon Wardell was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum tariff of 18 years. In 2007, he attempted to have his sentence reviewed but was unsuccessful in reducing his minimum term. After serving 26 years, he was released on license in 2023.