A new report has been released stating a serial killer could be behind deaths that were ruled murder-suicides.
The first two double killings happened in 1996 and 1999 in Wilmslow, Cheshire, and were only two miles apart. In both cases, the husbands were thought to have killed their wives before taking their own lives. However after re-examining these cases using modern techniques, the report finds both cases were likely to have been double murders.
Cheshire police have said they are conducting a review of findings and that they have alerted Great Manchester Police and Cumbria Police, where some similar killings took place.
The deaths of Howard and Bea Ainsworth, and Donald and Auriel Ward were considered by the police to be murder-suicides.
Bea was found wearing a nightdress, with a knife in her forehead. She had also been hit on the head with a hammer. Howard lay next to her in his pyjamas, with his head in a bag.
Auriel had been beaten, stabbed and suffocated, with her head partially covered by a pillow. Donald had a knife stabbed into his heart.
These two cases have some similarities; the extremity of violence, knives left in bodies at the crime scene, injuries to the head from a blunt weapon and stab wounds, and both the women were left with their nightdresses slightly lifted.
The report also points to a "number of inconsistencies which do not corroborate the original manner of death being murder-suicide".
A further three murder-suicide cases have been identified in this report, from 2000, 2008 and 2011, which should be reviewed in Great Manchester and the Lake District. These cases are;
Stanley and Peggy Wilson, found February 18th 2011 in Kendal Cumbria, 73.1 miles from the first case in Wilmslow. Peggy died due to multiple injuries, including signs of asphyxia, blunt force injuries and defence wounds to the arm. Stanley died from stab wounds to the neck.
Kenneth and Eileen Martin, found November 10th 2008 in Greater Manchester, 14 miles from the first cases in Wilmslow. This couple was found in the garage, with Eileen having suffered head injuries and cuts to her head and neck. Kenneth was found with his throat cut.
Michael and Violet Higgins, found on February 21st 2000 in Manchester, again only roughly 30 minutes away from Wilmslow. Violet was in bed wearing a night dress. She had been beaten over the head and stabbed in the neck. Michael was found in pyjamas in the spare bedroom, with cuts to his neck and he had also been strangled with a coat hanger.
In each case, police said the wife had been stabbed and hit on the head with a blunt object, before the husband took his own life.
A possible link to the Birmingham 'Silence of the Lambs' killer?
I wrote about the unsolved case of the Smith Family, who were found murdered in their own home in November 1992. The elderly couple and their disabled son lived in Northfield, Birmingham when they were found massacred.
72 year old Harry had been stabbed nearly 100 times and severely beaten over the head with a blunt instrument. 73 year old Mary had been beaten and stabbed around the head, neck and chest. There was no evidence of sexual assault, although it appeared that there had been some attempt to remove Mary's underwear.
Their son Harold, who was wheelchair bound, suffered from severe stab wounds to the head, neck and chest. He had also been beaten with a blunt instrument as he sat helpless in his chair.
During the investigation police psychologist Dr Paul Britton concluded that the people responsible for this massacre thoroughly enjoyed what they had done and referred to them as a 'silence of the lambs' type killer. He stated that the killer (or killers) needed to be caught, or they would strike again.
To this day, the case of the Smith family remains unsolved, with no apparent motive or suspects.
This raises questions whether this Birmingham 'Silence of the Lambs' killer, is actually a country wide serial killer.
Shocking Similarities?
There is many similarities between the case of the Smith family, and those in which are being re-examined by police.
Firstly, all of the victims of the double murders were elderly couples, excluding Harold Smith Jr, who was wheelchair bound, therefore, a possible easy victim to overpower. All of these double murders involved the victims being beaten over the head with a blunt instrument and suffering stab wounds around the head, neck and chest area.
Another similarity is that in some of the cases, it appears as though the female victim's nightdresses had been raised, which is akin to that of Mary Smith where it seemed as though there had been an attempt to remove her underwear.
The only real difference between the Smith murders and the other cases being re-examined, is that all three of the Smith victims had their hands bound. However, if this was the killers first murder, then it may be possible they decided to tie their victims hands to stop them from fighting back, but then realised their victims were vulnerable and did not need to be bound to overpower them in their next attacks.
A Travelling Killer Timeline?
1992: The Smith family massacre, Northfield, Birmingham.
1996: Howard and Bea Ainsworth, Wilmslow, Cheshire (82.6 miles away from the Smith killings)
1999: Donald and Auriel Ward, Cheshire (2 miles from Ainsworth killings)
2000: Michael and Violet Higgins, Manchester (13.6 miles from Ward killings)
2008: Kenneth and Eileen Martin, Greater Manchester (14 miles from Higgins killings)
2011: Stanley and Peggy Wilson, Kendal Cumbria (73.1 miles from the Martin killings)
Looking at this possible timeline of cases in which police believe may possibly be linked, it is not a stretch to put the case of the Smith family in the list of which needs to be re-examined. With Dr Paul Britton stating that those responsible of the murders of the Smith family would strike again if they were not caught, it is entirely possible that this is the work of a serial killer who targets elderly couples and 'thoroughly enjoys' what they do to their victims.
These killings, including the Smith case, span over 19 years and are in different areas across England, some in closer proximity than others. Despite the Smith case being 82.6 miles from the 1996 case in Wilmslow, the possible serial killer had 4 years to travel that distance.
It is evident that this possible serial killer has travelled (according to police reports of cases that need to be re-examined), going from Greater Manchester in 2008, to Kendal Cumbria 73.1 miles away, in the space of 3 years.
Do these cases show that there is a serial killer at large, targeting elderly couples across England?
Does it highlight the police's inability to recognise links and realise that these cases were not murder-suicides?
Is the Smith family killings a case which should be involved in these re-examinations and is it linked to these double murder cases?
(not actual murder weapon)
Commenti