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Mark Wisner

MOD software engineer found dead from asphyxiation with a plastic sack and cling film over his face — method almost identical to the death of Richard Pugh three months earlier.

FieldDetails
Full NameMark Wisner
Bornc. 1963
DiedApril 24, 1987
Age at Death24
Location of DeathHis shared house, England
Cause of DeathAsphyxiation — plastic sack and cling film over face
Official RulingAccident (sexual misadventure)
CategorySDI/Defense Scientist

Assessment: HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS

Wisner's death is nearly identical to that of Richard Pugh, another MOD computer specialist, who died just three months earlier in January 1987 with a plastic bag over his head and rope around his body. The duplication of this highly specific method across two young Ministry of Defence software engineers within three months is extremely improbable as coincidence. Both were ruled "sexual misadventure."

Circumstances of Death

On April 24, 1987, Mark Wisner, a 24-year-old Ministry of Defence software engineer, was found dead in his shared house. A plastic sack had been placed over his head and cling film (plastic wrap) was wound around his face. The cause of death was asphyxiation.

The coroner ruled the death an accident, attributing it to autoerotic asphyxiation ("sexual misadventure") — the identical ruling applied to the death of Richard Pugh, an MOD computer consultant, just three months earlier in January 1987. In Pugh's case, the body was found with a plastic bag over the head and rope coiled four times around the neck and body.

The similarity between the two deaths was noted at the time by journalist Tony Collins and other investigators.

Background

Mark Wisner was a 24-year-old software engineer employed by the Ministry of Defence. His specific projects remain classified, but his role placed him within the network of defense computing specialists connected to the GEC-Marconi death cluster. He died during the deadliest month of the cluster — April 1987 also saw the deaths of Stuart Gooding, David Greenhalgh, and Shani Warren.

Why This Death Possibly Raises Questions

  • The method was "almost identical" to that of Richard Pugh, another MOD computer specialist, three months earlier
  • Two MOD defense workers dying from the same highly unusual method within three months is statistically extremely improbable
  • Staging murders as autoerotic asphyxiation is a documented intelligence technique — it discourages investigation and discredits the victim
  • Both deaths received the same convenient ruling of "sexual misadventure"
  • He was only 24 years old
  • He worked on classified MOD software projects
  • April 1987 saw four defense scientist deaths — the deadliest single month in the cluster

See Also

  • Richard Pugh — MOD computer consultant, died January 1987 in nearly identical circumstances
  • Stuart Gooding — RCMS postgraduate, died April 10, 1987
  • David Greenhalgh — ICL defense scientist, fell from bridge April 10, 1987
  • Shani Warren — GEC employee, found murdered April 1987

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Sources

This information was built by Grok and Claude AI research.