Margaret Pereira

Margaret Pereira CBE (22 April 1928 – 22 December 2016) was a British forensic scientist. Pereira, nicknamed "Miss Murder" and "Maggie of the Yard," worked on several forensic cases throughout her career. Most notably, her work helped convict John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan in the Lord Lucan nanny's murder case in 1974. Her degree qualification would have entitled her to have become an expert witness but it was believed, at the time, that women would not be able to withstand cross-examination in court.

The murder of Claire Josephs In 1968, Pereira worked on the murder case of Claire Josephs who was found dead at her home in Bromley, Kent. There was no sign of forced entry to the property and much suspicion was placed on the victim's husband; however Pereira's analysis of the case led to the identification of Roger Payne as the murderer. The following year, schoolgirls Jeanette Wigmore and Jacqueline Williams were murdered in the village. Blood smears on the boot of local resident David Burgess were matched by Pereira to Jeanette Wigmore and Burgess was found guilty of the two murders in 1967. Years later in 2012, David Burgess was convicted of the murder of Yolande Waddington.

Lord Lucan nanny's murder case In 1975, Sandra Rivett, Lord Lucan's (John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan) nanny, was murdered. Pereira prepared for an inquest into Rivett's death, as well as the violent attack on Lady Lucan. Pereira examined blood smears and spatter on the walls and flooring and found a connection between the blood on the murder weapon and blood found in Lord Lucan's car, thus naming him responsible for the murder. Her father was a telecommunications engineer, and her mother worked as a secretary. Pereira attended La Sainte Union Convent in Bexleyheath and Dartford County Grammar School for Girls and had originally aspired to become a doctor. However, due to the priority given to returning service personnel, she was not able to acquire a seat in medical school.

In 1980, she married an engineer named Arthur Wells. He was four years older than her and he survived her when she died in Portsmouth in 2016.