CANNIBAL WHO GOT A "BUZZ" FROM EATING HUMAN FLESH

Written by Amanda Wood

Peter Bryan was born in London on 4th October 1969. He finished school around age 15 and went to work on a clothes stall, later he also taught cooking lessons in a local soup kitchen. He earned a good reputation as a hard working lad.

In 1987 whilst he was living in the Flying Angel Custom House, East London, Bryan launched an unprovoked attack on another resident. Bryan tried to throw the man from a 6th floor window. The intended victim escaped unscathed and Bryan was left with a deep gash to his head. The police spoke to both men but no charges were brought.

Bryan's first victim was Nisha Sheth. The twenty year old worked as a shop assistant in her fathers Kings Road boutique. She was familiar with Bryan, who had previously worked in the shop. Nisha's family and Bryan had kept in touch after he left, there was no ill feeling.

It was the 18th march 1993 when for no apparent reason and with no motive, 23 year old Bryan high on drugs and armed with a club hammer thundered into the shop. Nisha's twelve year old brother Bobby was struck twice in the head and knocked to the ground as he tried to protect his sister. Peter Bryan proceeded towards Nisha repeatedly striking blows to her head with the hammer. Bryan then fled the scene and Nisha was rushed to Hammersmith Hospital where she later died that evening.

Hours after the attack Bryan attempted to take his own life by throwing himself from the balcony of a thirty foot building in Battersea. Unfortunately he survived the fall with broken leg.

Brian was taken to Rampton Secure hospital, Nottinghamshire. A charge of murder was dropped and he plead guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. Bryan was incarcerated at Rampton Maximum Security Unit, "without limit of time".

This however was by no means the end of the story. After serving just 9 years Bryan appealed to a health review tribunal. It was deemed by the so-called mental health professionals that there were no concerns over Peter Bryan's mental state and he was declared fit for release. He was released into the care of a psychiatric social worker and psychiatrist who monitored him at Newsham General Hospital  as an "informal patient".

Bryan who had paranoid schizophrenia and a personality disorder was able to mask his illness with a "veneer of normality" in order to fool doctors into believing he was miraculously cured.

Fatally on 17th February 2004 Peter Bryan was deemed "safe", his mental health social worker said "Bryan does not pose a major risk". As a result he was given the freedom to come and go as he pleased with no supervision.

Within hours of his newfound freedom Bryan was to claim the life of his second victim 43 year old Brian Cherry.  He turned up at Mr Cherry's flat and bludgeoned him to death with a claw-hammer and screwdriver striking his skull in excess of twenty-four times. He then began the macabre dismemberment of Mr Cherry"s body, using a Stanley knife and kitchen knives. He later remarked "I had to stamp on the knife to cut through the bone". Both Mr Cherry's arms were removed and also his left leg.

Mrs Newman a neighbour and friend of Mr Cherry turned up at the flat at approximately 7.15pm, she had a key and let herself in. She was immediately hit by the smell of disinfectant. Suddenly Bryan appeared from the living-room, bare-chested and wielding a kitchen knife "Brian is dead" he declared.

Mrs Newman for a split second thought this was some sort of joke, but as she peered through into the living room the naked body of Mr Cherry and his detached limbs were clearly visible.

The police soon arrived, unprepared for the macabre scene they were about to witness. Upon entering the property they were meet by Bryan, standing in the hallway, his hands jeans and shoes soaked in blood. Moving into the kitchen the police noticed a frying pan next to an open tub of clover butter. The contents of the pan "Mr Cherry's brains". "I ate his brains with butter" Bryan remarked, "It was really nice". Upon the draining board sat a plate filled with more brain tissue and hair, soaked in blood.

On 15th April 2004 Peter Bryan was taken to Broadmoor Maximum Security Hospital where he was initially kept locked in a cell. It wasn't long before he, yet again, fooled the medical professionals with his calm exterior which obscured his psychotic tendencies.

He was moved to a medium risk ward. This dangerous man was then in a position to take the life of his third victim sixty year old Richard Loudwell.

On the 5th June Peter Bryan battered him around the head then tied a ligature around his neck. Mr Loudwell later died in hospital. Bryan admitted "if I hadn't been disturbed I would have eaten his flesh", he believed that cannibalism was a natural way to eat.

Bryan later stated he "enjoyed, the forbidden fruit" of his victims flesh. His psychiatrist reported that Bryan saw the "voodoo ritual" of eating human flesh as a way to receive the energy of his victims. It gave him a "buzz" and he felt comforted by the smell of blood. Bryan also admitted to gaining sexual satisfaction from battering people to death.

Bryan pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, he was given a whole life sentence and will remain in Broadmoor indefinitely.

I believe Peter Bryan is a seriously sick individual, it is a tragedy that mental health workers had the wool pulled over their eyes. The opportunity was missed by numerous professionals to keep the madman away from society. Ultimately three innocent people paid the price with their lives. Lets hope lessons were learnt!.

THE JULIE FINLEY MURDER; TIME FOR JUSTICE.

Julie Finley

Written by Scott Williams-Collier

Julie Finely was brutally murdered over 25 years ago, her naked body unceremoniously dumped in a carrot field close to a layby near the Rainford By-pass. There have been some interesting leads over the years, frustratingly none of them have led anywhere and the perpetrator has yet to be brought to justice.  Some of the witness statements that have been provided over the years have been very helpful, some promisings but frustratingly never led anywhere because the witness failed to get back in touch with the police again with further information. And as you get in huge murder cases like this one, there has been a fair share of red herrings thrown in there too, which likely had nothing to do with Julie's murder, much like the newspaper article I was reading from 1994 on the British Newspaper Archives website. In that article from the Liverpool Echo, a prostitute was attacked by a punter who told her he had murdered a prostitute a few months previously. She believed he was talking about Julie Finley. The problem here is this suspect was heavyset and had a tattoo on his arm and was driving a silver Ford Escort and had a local accent. Although the lady attacked no-doubt had a terrible experience with this individual and her statement was given with good intentions to take a dangerous individual off the streets, I don't believe that this is Julie's killer. For starters, he does not fit the physical description of the man she was seen talking to on Pembroke Street.

Then we have the phone call police received shortly after Julie's death, from a friend calling herself Tina. Tina provided some vital information that Julie was going to meet a taxi driver from Prescott. She promised to come in and see the police or ring them back, unfortunately, she never did and that line of enquiry went cold.

There was another witness that came forward about 10 months after Julie's death. A motorist rang the police to tell them about a story of a hitchhiker he had recently picked up who told him something very disturbing. At 10:30 am on Friday the 21st of July a motorist driving past the East Lancs Road and Rainford By-pass picked up a hitchhiker. As they approached the scene where Julie's body was found, he apparently became very agitated, so much so that the driver became concerned about his mental well being. The driver asked him what was wrong. The young hitchhiker then told him a very disturbing story. About 10 months before, his motorcycle had broken down on the same layby where Julie Finley's body was found nearby. He went on to say while he was there fixing his bike, he heard bangs and screams coming from a van parked nearby. He approached the van and opened the doors, there he saw a young woman naked shouting "help me help me, for god shake help me." Before he could do anything, a male appeared, told him to mind his own business as this was his girlfriend. He was told in no uncertain terms to get on his way. Surprisingly he did just that and left and failed to call the police. The following day Julies body was discovered by a cyclist in a nearby carrot field.

A photofit of the Hitchhiker

The police took this piece of information very seriously. In fact, they announced this on an episode of Crimewatch UK in 1995. The police were very keen to speak to this young man who had hitched a lift with the motorist, as he had information only they knew about. The police believe this witness was the last person to see Julie alive and had also saw the murderer up close. They believed based on the information he had, he is to be taken seriously as a witness, if not he must be considered a suspect. The Hitchhiker was described as being in his mid-twenties, clean-cut with short blonde hair in a crew-cut. The driver also mentioned to the police that this man was local due to his accent and is believed to be from the St Helens area. He said he was visiting his grandfather who lived in Ainsdale in Southport. The police urged this individual to call in to give a photofit but as with the Tina lead, this never happened and the trail yet again went cold.

However, there have been some positive pieces of evidence provided to the police, which could be integral in solving this case. That is the description of the man seen with Julie in Liverpool and near the Wheatsheaf pub close to the murder scene who was described as being a white male in his late 20's to early '30s, average build and height. There was also the description of the perpetrator's vehicle which was described as a D-reg Ford Transit van. Someone fitting Julie's description was seen arguing with a man outside the Wheatsheaf pub who was trying to force her into his van, the same van was later seen in the layby near the deposition site of Julie's body.

Frustratingly despite some valuable evidence provided over the years, nobody has been charged with Julie's murder. It has been an extremely painful time for Julie's family. Her father sadly passed away without ever seeing justice for his daughter. Julie's mother, Patricia Finley has said she will not rest until her daughters killer is caught and brought to justice. Over the last year or so, however, events have started to unfold.

Chris Clark.

Ex-police officer and author, Chris Clark started research back in 2014 into the background of notorious double murderer and suspected serial killer Christopher Halliwell. He has linked Halliwell to the East Lancs Ripper murders. Chris Highlighted the fact that Julie's murder and the murders of Linda Donaldson and Maria Requena fitted Halliwell's victim type and modus operandi. He also highlighted the fact that Halliwell was also a keen fisherman and narrowboat enthusiast who would likely have good knowledge of canals and waterways, like the Leeds and Liverpool canal and Pennington Flash. Halliwell also travelled extensively around the country doing various jobs and was also a taxi driver for large parts of his life.

It had been brought to the publics attention last year that notorious convicted killer Christopher Halliwell was actually living in nearby Aughton at the time of Julie's murder, which is about 4 miles away from where her body was dumped. The witness that came forward with this information also advised that Halliwell worked in north Wales at the time fitting windows during the week, and drove a white D-reg Ford Transit van. He would return to his home in Swindon at the weekends. This has apparently been confirmed by a second witness.

The good news is that the witness has now been spoken to by the police and they are now investigating this line of enquiry. Det Ch Insp Rachel Wilson who is leading the investigating said recently "We are investigating a new line of inquiry. A witness has come forward with information and has been spoken to by detectives." 

Christopher Halliwell

So are we now starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel in this long-running case? I really hope so; Julie and her family deserve justice. It's taken them a while but it is nice to see the police following up on this and finally investigating Halliwell as a suspect. Halliwell for me is the most viable suspect to date because we can tie him to the general area and know now that he had been living in the Aughton. Interestingly he has also worked as a taxi driver for large parts of his life; Julie was apparently going to meet a taxi driver from Prescott the night she went missing. He also fits the general description of the man seen with Julie perfectly and drove the same type of van seen at the Wheatsheaf pub and the layby near where Julies body was found. It's too much of a coincidence for me. The murder of Julie Finley matches Christopher Halliwell's modus operandi perfectly. Working girl, picked up in an urban area, murdered then dumped in a rural area with all her belongings and clothes missing.

Now what I want to know, and I hope this is the case, is that the police also look into two other murders which took place a short drive down the East Lancs Road from where Julie was killed. That is the 1988 murder of Linda Donaldson and the 1991 murder of Maria Christina Requena. Again both were working girls. Linda was last seen on the 18th of October 1988 at around 1:30 am at Canning Street less than a mile from where Julie Finely was seen speaking to the white male in Liverpool. Maria was last seen in Manchester heading towards Canal Street on New Years Day 1991. These were absolutely brutal murders which made national news and terrified the local communities, much like Julie's murder did. If the police are going to investigate him for Julie's murder they also need to look at him as the suspect for  Linda and Maria as well. 

Halliwell was a keen fisherman and also narrowboat enthusiast who went on narrowboat holidays. He would likely have good knowledge of the Leeds and Liverpool canal and Pennington Flash lake where Maria Requena's dismembered body was dumped. Linda Donaldson's mutilated body was dumped just over 3 miles away on Winick Lane in  Lowton. The location is just outside Leigh and very close to the M6 Motorway. It is quite possible Halliwell may have used the East Lancs Road and Winick Lane when going home back to Swindon at the weekends. 

These 3 murders have really stuck in my mind, so much so I have decided I want to write a book on the East Lancs Ripper case. I will be keeping my eyes and ears peeled in anticipation on what transpires from this new investigation and will keep everyone updated accordingly. I am also currently doing a lot of research into the case for my book, looking at other potential victims in the North West and the 4 suspects, Christopher Halliwell, David Smith, Alun Kyte and Duncan Munro McLuckie so this probably won't be the last blog I write on this subject. 

My next podcast will be a feature on the East Lancs Ripper case covering the murders of Linda Donaldson, Maria Requena and Julie Finley, so be sure to tune in for that one coming soon on my YouTube channel at The True Crime Page Podcast. Anyway, let's hope for now that the police do a thorough investigation into these three brutal murders. Julie, Linda and Maria and their families deserve justice, hopefully, that's just around the corner. 

THE UNSOLVED MURDER OF VERONICA ANDERSON

Veronica Anderson

Written by Scott Williams-Collier

It's been almost 29 years since the senseless and brutal murder of single mum Veronica Anderson, known to her family and friends as Vera.  Her murder has left her family and police alike baffled with no clear motive or suspects. Her daughter Lorraine Rigby has had to live with the harrowing experience of having to identify her dead mother's body when she was just 19 years old and pregnant with her first child, something that still bothers her to this day and will do for the rest of her life. She also had the challenging task of having to break the terrible news to her young brother Neil who was just 7 years old at the time.

This tragic event all unfolded on Saturday 24th of August 1991 on what should have been a normal evening watching TV. Her son Neil was asleep in his bed upstairs. At some point, Vera received a call from someone; a call which prompted Vera to ask her neighbour to babysit her son for ten minutes while she nipped out. She woke her son and dropped him off at her next-door neighbour's house and said she would be back in 10 minutes. She informed her neighbour that she wouldn't be long and was going to pick up her brother, her neighbour mentioned that this was unusual for her to say, "brother" as she would always refer to her siblings by name. Vera had also emptied her boot before leaving which would suggest she was making room to put something in the back of her car, then left around 10.15 pm. That would be the last time anyone would see her alive.

The Crown and Cushion pub.

Before Vera was murdered there was a possible sighting of her at The Crown and Cushion pub in Warrington at around 10:30 pm about twenty minutes after she had left her home. She wasn't a regular at this pub but it was a short distance from her home and also close to the location where her body would be found. A witness in the pub said they saw someone fitting Vera's description entering the pub looking for someone, not long after entering the pub she was seen sat with her back to the bar talking to someone who they could not see. Another witness in the pub said that they also saw someone they believed to be Vera talking to a white male said to be in his late-30s early 40s. The man was described as being 5ft 8in to 5ft 11in tall, slim build with sunken temples, mousey coloured hair cut short, a mousy coloured moustache and wearing a fawn jacket. The man also mentioned that they did not appear to be lovers or married but seemed to know each other.

Sketch of the suspect seen with Vera at The Crown and Cushion pub.

Shortly before closing time, the couple believed to be Vera and her companion had left. Nobody saw them leave the pub.

Later on, that evening around 11 pm Vera's car was spotted parked behind the Old Tannery works on Tannery Lane with the headlights on.  The area is about two minutes drive from The Crown and Cushion pub and overlooked by Kenneth Adamson's house. Mr Adamson remembered looking out of his back window in the evening before he went to bed and saw a car parked there with its headlights on. The area was known at the time as a lovers lane or a place where people went to use soft drugs. Due to this, the police would do regular patrols of the area every few hours in the evenings.

At 1:30 am Richard and Ilene Thomas were walking home along Tannery Lane from their local Social Club. They saw the car parked in the works and assumed it must have been a courting couple. Around 3:15 am a police officer discovered Vera's body slumped over the wheel of her car. She had been strangled and had her throat cut in a violent struggle. Her killer had left two items behind at the scene, a length of window sash cord (white) and a white cotton Minette Glove. The glove had come into contact with Vera's body and had likely been dropped and left behind by accident by the killer. It's possible these items may have been things the killer possibly used in his line of work. The knife used to cut Vera's throat has never been recovered. The fact that these items had been taken with the perpetrator to the meeting, shows that the murder of Vera was not a crime of passion or a heat of the moment thing. This shows clear premeditation and intent to kill Vera and attempt to avoid leaving fingerprints at the scene.

Vera Anderson's Ford Cortina

shortly after Vera's murder, another witness came forward and described picking a man up in his taxi on Warrington Road at about 1.30 am. The location where he was picked up is about half a mile from The Crown and Cushion pub and the murder scene. He asked to be taken to Halton View area which is about a hundred yards from Vera Anderson's home at Hadfield Close.  The man was described by the taxi driver as being in his 30s, wearing a raincoat. Significantly the man appeared to have an injured right hand with a handkerchief wrapped around it and his knuckles were grazed. 

On Thursday the 29th of August it was reported in the Liverpool Echo newspaper, that the police were anxious to trace a man and a little girl. They had entered the Sihouette wool shop in Halton View around 2pm on Saturday the 24th of August the same day Vera was murdered: the man purchased wool which he said was for Vera Anderson. This story is given credence in the fact that Vera liked to knit bunny rabbits for babies, she also sold them to truck drivers at the Roll Inn Truck Stop, where she socialised several times a week. The man in question was described as being 45 years old, above six feet tall, short brown hair with a heavy moustache, wearing a  shirt, tie and jacket. He was well built with large hands and possibly spoke with a local accent. The little girl was described as being about 8 years old, with shoulder-length dark hair with a pretty face. The police requested this man come forward as he could have vital information concerning Vera Anderson's murder. To this day as far as I am personally aware, this individual has never come forward. I find this piece of evidence very interesting, especially since Vera was seen later that evening just before her murder with someone who had a moustache, could this possibly be the same person?

It was also reported on Friday 30th of August that an anonymous person had put up a £3000 reward for information leading to Mr's Anderson's murderer being caught. Vera was obviously a very well-liked person and her murder had really upset and hurt the people who knew her.

Glove like the one left behind at the crime scene

29 years will have passed on the 24th of August 2020 this year, and Veronica Anderson's murder still remains unsolved with no clear motive. Looking at the evidence it's clear that this was a premeditated murder. The Killer took a length of cord, gloves and a knife to the meeting, which shows a clear intent to commit a violent assault on Vera. One thing which is not very clear is the motive. 

She was a regular visitor at the Roll Inn Truck Stop Motel in Widnes not far from her home. This was her main outlet for socialising and she would visit there several times a week. She was friends with many of the truck drivers there and had, in fact, had several steady relationships with truck drivers over the years. As far as her friends and family are concerned she was a good mother, well-liked and didn't have any enemies. She had a steady boyfriend who was a truck driver and stayed with her every Friday, then headed back home to the south of England where his family and wife lived.

Although Vera was a happy go lucky women who frequented the Roll Inn Truck Stop and had many truck driver friends, she was not a man mad women. Her daughter Lorraine said her mother was probably the most popular person at the truck stop, she used to do their washing for them and many of them would go to her if they had any problems, she was always happy to help.

It is quite possible that this murder was the result of jealous rage on the part of someone who was romantically interested in her, but that had been one-side, or was it entirely something else?

This crime is a baffling one, I keep mulling over the different possibilities and why this murder happened. One thing for sure is whoever rang Vera that night, whoever they were and whatever they had to say, it was enough to get her to drag her 7-year-old son out of bed and leave him with her neighbour. Then leave her house late in the evening which was out totally out of character. Interestingly, Vera also cleared space in her boot, surely doing this late on a Saturday evening was for a reason, what was she making room for in her boot? Vera also had to know her killer, there is no way the single mother would leave her son like that to go meet a stranger. I also find it curious that she lied to her neighbour about picking up her brother when in fact that was simply not the case. Obviously, Vera didn't want her son or neighbour knowing the real reason why she was going out so late in the evening.

In 1994 after the murder of Julie Finely, there was some suggestion that Vera's murder may have been linked to the unsolved East Lancs Ripper Case. Personally, I don't think that is the case. The East Lancs Ripper murders were all sexually motivated crimes against prostitutes. There is no evidence of a sexual assault on Vera or any signs of robbery as a motive, so there has to be something else. I have two theories on the motive of why Vera was murdered. My personal opinion on this is that this murder was possibly the result of jealous rage from an individual who was romantically interested in Vera. This for me is the most likely reason this murder took place. My other theory is that Vera may have gotten herself involved in something illegal, maybe someone had asked her to do something for them or had confided in her about something, then decided to silence her by taking her life; stranger things have happened before and we must always try and keep an open mind in cases like this. I also believe that whoever killed her was someone she knew and was likely a truck driver from the Roll Inn or someone who lived locally.

If you are from the Warrington or Widnes areas please share this blog with your friend and family. We need to raise the profile of this murder to keep the public informed and help raise awareness of Veronica Anderson's murder. I've said this many times and will say it again, every little help's and every writer, blogger, podcaster or true crime fan has their part to play. Putting out material like this or sharing it on your social media helps massively. It could help someone recollect something about the case which is a valuable piece of evidence. It may also give someone the courage to come forward with something they have held back for years as a result of loyalty or fear, allegiances change as the year's pass by! I would urge anyone who has any evidence regarding Vera's murder to call Crime Stoppers on 0800555111. Alternatively, if you are a family member or friend of Vera and would like to speak to me about the case you can contact me on my page at The True Crime Page Podcast.

TED BUNDY AND THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF LITTLE ANN MARIE BURR

Written by Scott Williams-Collier

Theodore Robert Bundy (Ted Bundy) is probably the most infamous serial killer in American history, perhaps in the world. Good looking, intelligent and articulate Ted seemed like the all-American boy on the surface, the kind of boy a lot of parents would be very happy to see their daughter dating. However, that was just superficial charm, underneath that facade lay a much sinister character who would brutally abduct and murder scores of young women and girls across America.

After years of denial, charismatic and handsome Ted Bundy admitted to 30 murders on the eve of his execution but alluded to there being many more. Once asked if 36 was an accurate figure Bundy responded with "add one digit to that and you'll have it." Bundy was suspected at the time of at least 36 murders but by the time law enforcement agencies had finished speaking with him, the figure was closer to one hundred. I personally believe Bundy killed many more than the 30 he admitted to. I also believe that he started killing years before his official killing spree which started in 1974 and ended in 1978.

Bundy's first known and confirmed crime started with the brutal assault on Karen Sparks on the 4th of January 1974, Sparks survived the attacked but was left with horrific injuries that still affect her to this day. His crimes finally came to an end with the tragic murder of 12-year-old Kimberly Leach on the 9th February 1978 while he was on the run from law enforcement after escaping from prison for the second time on December 30th 1977. Ted Bundy was finally arrested for the last and final time six days after killing Kimberly Leach on the15th of February 1978.

There are many professionals in law enforcement, historians and the true-crime community alike, who believe the true decade Bundy started killing was actually the 1960's and not the 1970's. in fact, some including myself believe the exact date to be the 31st August 1961.

Eight-year-old Ann Marie Burr lived in the 3000 block of North 14th Street in Tacoma, Washington with her parents Beverley Burr, Don Burr and her three siblings. On the 31st of August in 1961, Ann took her younger sister (whom she shared a room with)  into her parent's bedroom. Her sister had a broken arm at the time, which was bothering the child. The Burr's sent their daughters back to their bedroom. This would be the last time anyone would ever see Ann Marie Burr again.

The following morning Beverley Burr woke around 5:30 am to find that her daughter was missing. The front door, which was locked the evening before was found open and a living room window which was always kept ajar was found open wider than normal. Some red material was found on the windowsill. A footprint was found outside the property near the window believed to be a Ked Sneaker size 6 or 7, which would be the size of a small man or teenage boys feet. A similar footprint was found at the back of the property by the basement window. The Burr's also recalled their pet dog barking during the early hours but at the time dismissed it as the thunderstorm that evening scarring the dog. The police believed that the assailant had entered the house through the window, entered Ann's bedroom then lead her out through the front door.

At the time 14-year-old Ted Bundy lived not far from the Burr's home. He also had a paper round in the area which would have passed close by to Ann's house. The Burr's home was also very close to one of Bundy's earlier childhood homes, the home of his favourite great-uncle.

Sadly, with hardly any valuable evidence or suspects, the search for Ann Marie Burr soon went cold and the crime slowly became a distant memory. That was until years later when the police had caught Ted Bundy and suspected him of being a prolific serial killer who preyed on young girls and women.

Beverley Burr wrote to Ted in prison numerous times to ask if he had abducted and murdered her daughter. Ted always denied involvement in Ann's disappearance, but an interview Ted gave shortly before his execution raised big doubts over his innocents. Bundy told a story in the 3rd person, as he usually did to avoid the stigma of the crimes he commited. He told a story of a crime where he took a young girl out of a house and assaulted her in an orchard next door before leaving her in a ditch. The Burr family lived next door to an orchard. At the time there was also construction work going on at the nearby University. Don Burr had apparently told the police that they need to check the ditches at the University construction site, some of these ditches were over 30 feet deep and full of water. By the time the police went to check the ditches, they had all been filled in and pathed over.

Ever since learning of the case of Ann Maria Burr years ago, I have suspected Ted Bundy was her killer. The manner in which she disappeared fits Bundy's modus operandi perfectly. We already know that Bundy was known to on occasions break into victims homes and attack them while they slept. In the Linda Healy murder, Bundy broke into her home and entered her basement room, assaulted her in her bed, then dressed her and even made her bed before leaving the property with the young women; she was never seen alive again. Ted was a self-professed peeping tom who liked to peer through windows watching women in their homes while he masturbated. According to Ted, this was something he did quite a lot in his early deviant behaviour. Neighbours of the Burr family had said they saw someone peeping through their windows a few days before Ann went missing. Don Burr also believed he saw Ted Bundy on the nearby construction site the morning his daughter disappeared, and the fact that Bundy lived nearby and had a paper round in the area speaks volumes to me.

Some think that Bundy was too young to commit a crime like this when he was just 14. But as far as I am concerned he wasn't too young at all!  This was likely a period in his life where he was having dark fantasies and was also becoming interested in sex at the same time.  Most serial killers who commit sex crimes have dark fantasies during adolescence, this is a period were going through puberty and starting to become interested in sex while also having dark fantasies can be a dangerous mix. We only have to look through the annals of criminal history to know that children can be just as cruel and wicked as adults. Bundy's own auntie recalled an incident when Ted was very young. She awoke from her nap to find all the sharp knives from the kitchen had been arranged around her body, with her very young nephew watching with a smile on his face, This is very unusual behaviour for a child to do something like that.

Ann Marie Burr's case is still open today and remains unsolved, and unfortunately, it's very unlikely we will ever see this case solved. With Ted Bundy dead and no DNA evidence to go off its extremely difficult to see any closure to this one, officially anyway. Ted Bundy is the standard that all other serial killers in America are compared to today and I believe that Little Ann Maria Burr was his first victim. There are too many coincidences and the method of operations fits perfectly with how Budy behaved in some of his crimes. Let's not forget that Bundy also stated that there are some crimes he will not talk about because they were too close to home, too close to family and very young.

Sadly Don Burr passed away in 2003 followed by Beverley in 2008. They passed without ever finding out what became of their daughter and who had committed the crime.  It's up to us to draw our own conclusions on this tragic mystery of the Ann Marie Burr disappearance. Did he or didn't he? for me he did!

EAST LANCS RIPPER PART 2

Written by Scott Williams-Collier

PART 2

In my last blog, we discussed the three murders of prostitutes Linda Donaldson in 1988, Maria Christina Requena in 1991 and Julie Finley in 1994. Sadly these brutal murders still remain unsolved today and the perpetrator untouched by the long arm of the law. The victims and their families are yet to get any justice and any imminent arrest seems unlikely.

There are striking similarities used in the modus operandi in these crimes which lead me to believe they were committed by the same offender. All the women in question were prostitutes, picked up in urban areas, murdered and then dumped in a quiet rural area in another town, close to the East Lancs Road. All the girls had all their clothing and belongings taken. Linda Donaldson was killed with a knife and horribly mutilated, Maria Requena was strangled then dismembered and dumped just three miles away from the deposition site of Linda Donaldson. In the case of Julie Finley, she had been strangled and dumped naked in a carrot field near the Rainford Bypass in St Helens. I believe the murder of Julie Finely was possibly a more impulsive murder which is why a knife was not used, the killer may have been disturbed or panicked and decided to dump her quickly. We must always remember that serial killers don't always follow the exact method of operation for every murder, and may sometimes vary the way they kill a victim to avoid crimes being connected.

There have been many people questioned about these crimes over the years, most notably rapist and murderer David Smith was questioned about the murders of Linda Donaldson and Maria Requena. Yet we are still waiting for someone to be charged with murdering any of these ladies. Unfortunately, as time moves on it becomes more difficult to see a positive conclusion to solving these crimes.

I hate to say this but in the cases of murdered working girls, I don't believe they are always given the same treatment as, say, the murder of respectable middle-class women would be treated. Some in the police force, unfortunately, view prostitutes as second class citizens. They live a risky lifestyle, usually have drug and alcohol dependence and often they are estranged from or have strained relationships with their immediate family. This makes them the perfect target for a serial killer. They are more accessible, more willing to get into a car with a stranger and to go off somewhere where they will be isolated. They are a lot less likely to be missed straight away and the police are less likely to take their disappearance seriously, to begin with. A prostitute is also a lot less likely to contact the police if they are raped or violently attacked.

These cases are still solvable, it's so important that we keep unsolved cases like these out in the public domain. It could help prompt a potential witness to come forward with valuable information which could solve one or more of these cases. It also keeps pressure on the police to keep investigating these crimes.

I had Ex-Police Officer and now published author Chris Clarke on my podcast show recently to discuss the East Lancs Ripper case. Chris has been undertaking a painstaking investigation of these cases and believes that Christopher Halliwell should be looked into as a person of interest in the murders of Linda, Maria and Julie. Halliwell was a keen fisherman and narrowboat enthusiast and was known to travel extensively around the country undertaking various jobs and possibly on narrowboat holidays, he, therefore, likely has a good knowledge of the countries waterways and canals, like the Leeds and Liverpool canal at plank lane not far from the deposition site of Maria Requena at Pennington Flash. He possibly fished at Pennington Flash lake too which is a popular fishing location.

Suspected serial killer Christopher Halliwell who is serving two life sentences for the murder of Becky Godden and Sian O'Callaghan has links to Liverpool. Recently a witness came forward and made it known that Halliwell worked as a window fitter in the area and lived in nearby Aughton around the time of Julie's murder. The Witness also claimed that Halliwell drove a 1986 white D reg Ford Transit Van like the one spotted near the entrance to the carrot field where Julie Finley's body was dumped. Halliwell fits the general description of the white male seen talking to Julie in Liverpool the night before her body was found in the carrot field.

Christopher Halliwell removed and took clothing and personal belonging from his two known victims. In fact, in 2014 police drained and searched a small pond and woodland were they discovered Halliwell liked to fish. There they retrieved 60 items of women's clothing buried in the woodland which is believed to be a secret trophy cache. They also recovered from the pond boots belonging to Sian O'Callaghan and a shotgun.

Chris Clark

Key points raised by Chris Clark and why he believes Halliwell should be considered a suspect.

1. The abduction of Linda Donaldson crossed force boundaries, with the abduction in the Merseyside Police force area and the deposition in the Greater Manchester Police force area, which is consistent with Halliwell's modus operandi.
2. All three victims fitted Halliwell's victim preferences (were prostitutes) and were enticed into a vehicle.
3. Halliwell lived in the Liverpool area, he may have travelled through Liverpool on narrowboat holidays on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which is situated three miles from the abduction points of Linda Donaldson and Julie Finlay. 
4. Julie Finlay was witnessed talking to an unknown white man, of average height and build aged in his 20s to 30s. Christopher Halliwell was thirty in 1994 and fits the general description.
5. Shortly after the murder of Julie Finlay a woman calling herself Tina called the police and told them that on the night of her murder, Julie said she was going to meet a taxi driver from Prescot. Halliwell is known to have worked as a taxi driver and Prescot is 6.5 miles from the deposition site at Rainford. 
6. The taxi driver from Prescot may have been a regular client of Julie Finlay. Halliwell was a regular client of Becky Godden before he murdered her, so this again is consistent with his use of prostitutes and his modus operandi. He has also worked as a taxi driver for a large part of his life.
7. Halliwell lived in the Liverpool area and travelled widely. It is probable that he knew Manchester. He may have holidayed on the Rochester Canal, which would take him into Manchester City Centre close to the abduction point for Maria Christina Requena.
8. Halliwell used prostitutes, so may also have been familiar with all three abduction points from picking up prostitutes while living in Liverpool, visiting Manchester, or being in both cities on narrowboats holidays. 
9. The deposition site for Maria Christina Requena's body at Pennington Flash is within a third of a mile from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Leigh Branch. The deposition site for Linda Donaldson at Winwick Lane in Lowton is 3.6 miles from the deposition site of Maria Requena.
10. Halliwell may have gone fishing at Pennington Flash while living in the Liverpool area or on a narrowboat holiday while moored at the nearby Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Plank Lane.
11.  Halliwell worked at various jobs including bin man. Pennington Flash where Maria Christina Requena's body was found is literally a few minutes walk away from Leigh Waste & Recycling Centre on Slag Lane which is 3.4 miles away from the dumping site of Linda Donaldson on Winwick Lane.
12. Linda Donaldson's body had been washed down to remove fibres that could provide forensic evidence. Halliwell burned clothes and discarded seat covers and floor mats from his car after abduction Sian O'Callaghan, to destroy forensic evidence. This is entirely consistent with a forensically aware offender, such as Halliwell.
13. All three deposition sites were in rural areas, which is entirely consistent with Halliwell's modus operandi. 
14. Maria Christina Requena's body had been put into water, which is consistent with the murders Carol Clarke, Lindsay Jo Rimer and Caroline Glachan all of whom Halliwell is suspected of murdering. 
15. Maria Christina Requena's body had been dismembered and wrapped in bin bags which is consistent with the murder of Melanie Hall (Halliwell is a possible suspect in Hall's murder). Again consistent with a forensically aware offender.

I believe Christopher Halliwell is the most viable suspect we have had to date in the East Lancs Ripper case. Here we have a killer who is suspected of murdering multiple women across the country. A suspect, who is forensically aware, who has travelled extensively around the country. Has owned over 80 cars and is a keen fisherman and narrowboat enthusiast who likely has extensive knowledge of the countries waterways, canals and rivers. He is also a collector of women's clothes and all three women in the ripper case had all their belongings and clothes removed never to be found again. Is it possible that any of their belongings are among those 60 items found at the pond back in 2014? It is hard to ascertain if that's the case, as things stand at the moment the police are yet to show these items to any of the families of potential victims. 

More importantly, we now know Halliwell has links to the North West, in particular, Liverpool where he lived and worked. As far as I am concerned it's a no brainer that the police need to speak to him about these crimes.  They also need to show the general public the landscape paintings found in his home which could be depositions sites for other victims. There is so much the police forces could be doing to investigate these cases further, which unfortunately doesn't seem to be happening at the moment. The very fact that a meagre £40,000 was given to investigate Christopher Halliwell and finding other potential victims should tell us all how important the police view the cases of missing or murdered women potentially connected to Halliwell. 

I will be doing a full feature on the East Lancs Ripper case in the coming weeks on my podcast show at The True Crime Page Podcast. All I can ask is that you share this blog and any of my other work connected to the East Lancs Ripper case, we need to keep this case alive and out in the public domain so it's not forgotten about. Linda Donaldson, Christina Maria Requena and Julie Finley may have taken the wrong path in life, but they were human beings like the rest of us, they all had dreams and aspirations just like me and you. They all took a path that they wouldn't have took under different circumstances, a path that unfortunately ended with them losing their lives. My hope is that one day these cases will finally be solved and justice will prevail for these young ladies who lost their lives in the most brutal way imaginable.