Ian Cameron, the former head designer at Rolls-Royce, was tragically killed in a stabbing incident at his $3 million mansion in Herrsching, near Lake Ammersee, Germany. His wife, Verena Kloos, survived by escaping to a neighbor's house and calling the police.
The attack occurred on Friday evening. Authorities believe it was a botched robbery attempt, targeting Cameron's valuable car collection. German news outlets reported that the house's surveillance camera cables had been cut.
"This appears to be a violent crime with significant planning," officials told the media. "However, it is unusual for a prepared burglar to escalate to murder."
The suspect, described as 180-190 cm tall, wearing light-colored pants, a dark-blue sweatshirt, yellow-green gloves, and a red backpack, remains at large.
BMW, where Cameron designed the Z8 sports car, expressed their shock and sadness. "Our thoughts are with his family and friends," BMW said in a statement. He also contributed to the design of mdoels like Phantom and Ghost amd served as brand ambassador of Rolls Royce.
Rolls-Royce also mourned Cameron's loss, highlighting his contributions to their design lineage. "Ian played a significant role in shaping Rolls-Royce after BMW's acquisition," they said.
Rolls-Royce CEO Chris Brownridge shared his condolences on LinkedIn, noting Cameron's impact on the Phantom and Ghost models.