Did killer cabbie slaughter 29 women?
Did killer cabbie slaughter 29 women? Double murderer Christopher Halliwell is linked to dozens more ‘victims’ by new book – including chef Claudia Lawrence as police search ponds
Former taxi driver is serving a whole life sentence for killing Becky Godden-Edwards and Sian O’CallaghanPolice investigation into murders made into a 2019 ITV drama called A Confession, starring Martin Freeman New book suggests he had dozens more victims, which would make him one of Britain’s worst serial killers
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A mug shot of convicted double murderer Christopher Halliwell
Notorious double killer Christopher Halliwell could be linked to 27 more murders, a new book sensationally claims.
The former taxi driver, 53, is serving a whole life sentence for killing Becky Godden-Edwards, 20, and Sian O’Callaghan, 22, who he abducted while they were leaving nightclubs in Swindon, Wiltshire, in 2011.
The police investigation into the murders was made into a 2019 ITV drama called A Confession, starring Martin Freeman as lead investigator Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher.
Now the authors of a new book suggest he targeted dozens of women over 20 years before dumping their often mutilated bodies after taking their clothes as a trophy. This could make him one of Britain’s worst ever serial killers.
The 53-year-old has long been linked to other murders, including that of Claudia Lawrence, a chef from York.
Police are currently searching lakes and woodland in their hunt for the missing 35-year-old, who vanished 12 years ago.
The claims Halliwell had 27 more victims are made in The New Millennium Serial Killer a book by former police intelligence officer Chris Clark and crime writer Bethan Trueman.
In 1990, Ann Heron , 44, was murdered in Darlington, while shop owner Trevaline Evans , 52, vanished from Llangollen, in North Wales. Both have been named as Halliwell’s possible victims
The Mirror has obtained an exclusive extract of the book.
The killer kept a secret store of 60 items of women’s clothing, unearthed by police in 2011, some 15 miles from where Ms O’Callaghan’s body was found.
Out of the 60 items, only two have ever been identified – a cardigan worn by Ms Godden and one of Ms O’Callaghan’s high-heeled boots.
But DS Fulcher – who has always insisted Halliwell has more victims – believes the stash could be a sick memento of his undiscovered crimes, reflecting a roll call of the women he has targeted.
He wrote in the book’s forward: ‘There is overwhelming evidence pointing to the notion that Halliwell is responsible for many further victims beyond the two murders for which he’s been convicted.’
Mr Clark and Ms Trueman believe Halliwell could be behind three killings by the East Lancashire Ripper, who brutally murdered and sexually mutilated three women but was never caught.
They also examine the disappearance of three women in Wiltshire, Halliwell’s home county, as well as the murder of Halliwell’s neighbour Sally Ann John. The fiend was said to have been ‘obsessed’ with the 23-year-old, who vanished in September 1995.
The 53-year-old has long been linked to other murders, including that of Claudia Lawrence, a chef from York (seen on the right with her father, Peter)
Police are currently searching lakes and woodland in Yorkshire as part of their hunt for the missing 35-year-old, who vanished 12 years ago
The police investigation into Halliwell was turned into an ITV drama titled A Confession, starring Martin Freeman as Mr Fulcher.
Police began investigating Halliwell when Ms O’Callaghan was abducted on her way home from a nightclub in Swindon in 2011.
CCTV taken near the Suju nightclub showed her getting into a taxi which the father-of-three owned.
Police then kept watch on Halliwell for two days – hoping he would inadvertently lead them to Ms O’Callaghan’s body – but arrested him on suspicion of kidnap five days later when they feared he would kill himself.
Aware of his suicidal tendencies, DS Fulcher arranged an interview team to conduct a ‘Safety Interview’, under caution, at the scene of his arrest.
But when Halliwell kept answering ‘no comment’, DC Fulcher authorised officers to bring Halliwell to the nearby Iron Age fort of Barbary Castle – where they believed Ms O’Callaghan was buried – for an ‘urgent interview’.
Halliwell eventually led DS Fulcher and his team to an isolated lane, where he said Ms O’Callaghan’s body was lying in the open.
Then, as he was having a cigarette at the scene, Halliwell confessed to ‘another one’, telling DS Fulcher: ‘I need help, I’m a sick f*****.’
The father-of-three then led the detective to the spot in rural Gloucestershire where he had buried Miss Godden in a shallow grave after strangling her in 2003.
At that time, police had no idea she was missing.
DS Fulcher was later nominated for a Queen’s Police Medal, the highest honour in policing, for his work in extracting the brutal killer’s confession.
But, in a cruel twist, he found himself fighting for his job after breaking police guidelines by taking Halliwell to the site, rather than the police station.
Mr Fulcher was disciplined for misconduct and later resigned, losing his £500,000 police pension and selling his house.
Haliwell was jailed for life in 2012 for beating and stabbing Ms O’Callaghan – who he believed resembled his mother – to death, before pushing her body into the 12ft ravine.
But a judge ruled his confession about Ms Godden inadmissible because DS Fulcher had repeatedly failed to correctly caution the killer and questioned him without a lawyer.
It took four more years of campaigning for it to be allowed.
Other officers then had to find more evidence and, thanks to unearthing the stash and other circumstantial and forensic evidence, Halliwell was convicted of killing Ms Godden and given a whole-life jail tariff.
During the trial, Halliwell gloated about how he had ruined DS Fulcher’s career, telling him: ‘By the way, it was a pleasure ruining your career, you corrupt b*****d.’
As he passed sentence on Halliwell, Sir John Griffiths Williams told the killer: ‘But for your confession, I have no doubt Becky’s remains would never have been found.’
The New Millennium Serial Killer by Chris Clark & Bethan Trueman, published by Crime Publishing Network.
