Richard John Bingham

Status:

Open

Missing From:

London, England

Summary:

Richard John Bingham, 7th Earl of Lucan, commonly known as Lord Lucan, was a British peer and gambler who vanished in 1974 after being suspected of killing Sandra Rivett, his children's nanny, and attempting to murder his wife. In 1974, Richard John Bingham, also known as Lord Lucan, vanished shortly after Sandra Rivett, nanny to his three children, was bludgeoned to death in ritzy Mayfair in London. Lucan was legally declared dead in absentia in 1999, though he has remained an object of fascination for bounty hunters and conspiracy theorists for five decades.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Offense:

The events unfolded on the night of November 7, 1974, leading to a widespread manhunt and extensive media coverage. Police believe he went to the family home in London's expensive Belgravia neighborhood on the evening of November 7. And there, authorities believe, he bludgeoned Sandra Rivett, the nanny, to death after having mistaken her for his estranged wife. Lady Lucan was attacked as well, and she told authorities the assailant was her estranged husband. On Nov. 7, 1974, Lady Lucan ran into Plumbers Arms, a nearby pub, screaming that her husband had murdered her nanny and was trying to kill her. Lord Lucan telephoned his mother and asked her to pick up the children. A car, believed to have been used by the fugitive peer, had been found in Newhaven, a port town in East Sussex. Within the car, which was a Ford Corsair, blood had been found.

Additional Details:

At the inquest held in 1975, the jury reached a verdict naming Lucan as the murderer of Sandra Rivett. He became the first member of the House of Lords to be so named, yet he was never apprehended and indeed was never seen again. Four days later on 12 November 1974 the Liverpool Echo reported how: A warrant was issued to-day for the arrest of Lord Lucan following the death of his children's nanny at Lady Lucan's London home. The warrant was issued to Detective Chief Superintendent Roy Ranson of Scotland Yard. The detective would remained tied to the case for decades to come. At the time of his disappearance, he was separated from his wife, the former Veronica Duncan, and battling with her for custody of their three children. He developed a taste for gambling and, skilled at backgammon and bridge, became an early member of the Clermont Club. Although his losses often exceeded his winnings, he left his job at a London-based merchant bank and became a professional gambler. From an early stage it was known that private detectives have been employed by Lord Lucan's friends to enquire into the background and boyfriends of Sandra Rivett and to discredit the evidence of Lady Lucan. A prominent member of the group, Sir James Michael Goldsmith, apparently sat down to lunch with a few others the day after the murder to discuss the British peer's situation. Sightings have been reported in various countries over the years, including Australia, India, Italy, and countries across Africa. But none have ever been confirmed. In October 1999, Britains High Court ruled the Seventh Earl of Lucan officially dead even though his body had not been found. On Wednesday, a London High Court declared Lucan dead, clearing the way for his son, George Bingham, to become the 8th Earl of Lucan.

Case Last Updated:

Sep 16, 2026