{"id":4905,"date":"2026-06-06T15:16:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T15:16:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/bombshell-new-evidence-puts-double-killer-christopher-halliwell-in-frame-for-third-murder\/"},"modified":"2026-06-06T15:16:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T15:16:12","slug":"bombshell-new-evidence-puts-double-killer-christopher-halliwell-in-frame-for-third-murder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/bombshell-new-evidence-puts-double-killer-christopher-halliwell-in-frame-for-third-murder\/","title":{"rendered":"Bombshell new evidence puts double killer Christopher Halliwell in frame for third murder"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_13ef38\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">EXCLUSIVE: Official records prove Halliwell had links to the spot where Melanie Hall&#8217;s remains were dumped 30 years ago while a former friend says he also knew the city she was abducted from, Daily Mirror investigation finds<\/h2>\n<div data-testid=\"commercial-video-box\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"primis\" data-tmdatatrack-index=\"1\" data-tmdatatrack-id=\"primis\" class=\"sc-56effa45-0 coBNyR\">\n<div class=\"sc-cfd18f1f-0 cyxXUg\">\n<section>\n<div class=\"PrimisPlayer_primis-container-lead__uRu_T\" data-testid=\"primis-player-lead\"><span class=\"PrimisPlayer_headline__EYzoH\">Bombshell new evidence puts double killer Christopher Halliwell in frame for third murder<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Double killer <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/evidence-linking-christopher-halliwell-womans-28393255\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Christopher Halliwell<\/a> had extensive links to the spot where a murdered graduate was dumped 30 years ago, a <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"\">Mirror<\/a> investigation can reveal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/i-believe-police-team-can-36602380\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">Melanie Hall<\/a>, 25, vanished after leaving a Bath nightclub in the early hours of June 9, 1996. Her remains were finally found 13 years later, 28 miles north, by a slip-road off the M5 in Gloucestershire. <!-- -->Det Chief Insp Ben Lavender <a target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/young-woman-vanished-nightclub-now-36599094\" rel=\"follow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_self\">said in January <\/a>that one theory was that the killer had links to Dursley, five miles from where Melanie was dumped.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Electoral roll records now obtained by the Daily Mirror show Halliwell&#8217;s sister, Sarah, had been living in the small Gloucestershire town for four years when Melanie was murdered.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37250185\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37250185\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Melanie Hall's killer has never been found\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250185.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Melanie-Hall-graduation.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250185.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Melanie-Hall-graduation.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250185.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Melanie-Hall-graduation.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250185.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Melanie-Hall-graduation.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Melanie Hall's killer has never been found\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Melanie Hall&#8217;s killer has never been found<cite aria-label=\"Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary \" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary )<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">And the monster&#8217;s mother, Sofia, and stepfather John, lived in neighbouring Nailsworth for 20 years from 1986, the documents reveal. Karen Edwards, mother of Halliwell victim Becky Godden-Edwards, said: &#8220;I think it&#8217;s too much of a coincidence. <!-- -->This is good evidence, this is solid evidence. <!-- -->I think the police know that he&#8217;s committed a lot more crimes. They need to put all the resources into this and investigate this.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Retired Det Supt Steve Livings, who led the original investigation into Melanie&#8217;s disappearance, said of our work: &#8220;I think what the Daily Mirror is doing is great.&#8221; <!-- -->It comes as Melanie&#8217;s dad Steve, 82, this week said he hopes he lives to see her killer brought to justice. <!-- -->The retired building and architecture lecturer said: &#8220;If we can actually bring Melanie&#8217;s killer or killers into court then at least we&#8217;ve done the last thing we can do for her in her name.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37250186\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37250186\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Steve Hall hopes to see his daughter's killer jailed \" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250186.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Steve-Hall-2.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250186.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Steve-Hall-2.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250186.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Steve-Hall-2.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250186.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Steve-Hall-2.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Steve Hall hopes to see his daughter's killer jailed \" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Steve Hall hopes to see his daughter&#8217;s killer jailed <cite aria-label=\"Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary \" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary )<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Melanie was wearing a pale blue silk dress, black suede mule shoes, a cream single breasted jacket and carrying a black satchel-type handbag when she was last seen. They have never been found. Her remains were discovered in October 2009 wrapped in black bin bags and blue nylon rope by the northbound slip road leading on to the M5 at junction 14, heading towards Gloucester.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">One of Halliwell&#8217;s former friends has now told the Daily Mirror that they would use the Michaelwood service station, around a mile up the road. He said: &#8220;Chris knew that junction well. In the 1980s we used to go to those services, when he was doing burglaries all over the region. I think his sister lived nearby and his mum as well. Chris knew the roads all round there. And he&#8217;s got a connection to Bath because he used to rob the auction house there in the 1980s.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37250193\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37250193\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DCI Ben Lavender of Avon and Somerset Police\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250193.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_AGP_MDM_14012026_HALL_017JPG.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250193.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_AGP_MDM_14012026_HALL_017JPG.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250193.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_AGP_MDM_14012026_HALL_017JPG.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250193.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_AGP_MDM_14012026_HALL_017JPG.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"DCI Ben Lavender of Avon and Somerset Police\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">DCI Ben Lavender of Avon and Somerset Police<cite aria-label=\"Image: Adam Gerrard \/ Daily Mirror\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Adam Gerrard \/ Daily Mirror)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The next junction up connects to the A419 for Halliwell&#8217;s hometown of Swindon. Mr Lavender previously told us that his team were &#8220;really interested&#8221; in the location where Melanie was found. <!-- -->He said: &#8220;One of the hypotheses is did the suspect had links northbound, maybe Dursley, Gloucester area or further and also to Bath. It&#8217;s a mystery for us and we would like to have help and I think the key to unlocking it is that the suspect potentially could have links northbound and to Bath.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Now 62, Halliwell is serving a whole life term for killing Becky, 20, and Sian O&#8217;Callaghan, 22. Like Melanie, Becky and Sian were both abducted after leaving nightclubs alone in urban areas and dumped in rural locations in a neighbouring police force area. <!-- -->All three were young, small and had been stripped. Melanie and Sian both suffered brutal head injuries.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37250172\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37250172\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Christopher Halliwell is serving a whole life term\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250172.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_SWNS_SIAN_TAXI_08.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250172.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/1_SWNS_SIAN_TAXI_08.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250172.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/1_SWNS_SIAN_TAXI_08.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250172.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_SWNS_SIAN_TAXI_08.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Christopher Halliwell is serving a whole life term\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Christopher Halliwell is serving a whole life term<cite aria-label=\"Image: SWNS.com\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: SWNS.com)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Former Met Det Chief Insp David McKelvey said: &#8220;The Daily Mirror&#8217;s findings are substantive. Halliwell&#8217;s methods match Melanie&#8217;s murder, the victim profile fits Halliwell and his sister and mother lived near the deposition site. These people offend in places that they know. This is a very strong line of inquiry that needs to be followed through to the end.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The Mirror has unearthed a Court of Appeal ruling for former antiques dealer David Critow,<!-- --> 52, which reveals Halliwell was sentenced to nine months in a young offenders institution in 1983 for four burglaries. He targeted houses and isolated churches in Cheltenham, Marlborough and Langley Burrell, close to Bath, the document states.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Halliwell was calling himself Christopher Bentley when he moved in to Critow&#8217;s home in Highworth, near Swindon, in 1982 aged 18. The older man was later jailed for plotting the burglarees with Halliwell after the teenager pleaded guilty and gave evidence against him.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37250183\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37250183\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Sian O'Callaghan was murdered in 2011\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250183.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Sian-OCallaghan-murder.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250183.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Sian-OCallaghan-murder.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250183.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Sian-OCallaghan-murder.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250183.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Sian-OCallaghan-murder.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Sian O'Callaghan was murdered in 2011\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Sian O&#8217;Callaghan was murdered in 2011<cite aria-label=\"Image: PA\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: PA)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Critow told the court: &#8220;Those were the words of a convicted thief, a self-confessed liar, a drug addict. They were the words of a rat.&#8221; The dealer was later cleared on appeal. Documents obtained from Swindon Magistrates&#8217; Court show after his release Halliwell was charged with a string of burglaries across the south west, including in Cheltenham and Cirencester.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">After slipping out of handcuffs and going on the run, he was jailed, aged 22, in January 1986 for four years for stealing almost \u00a3100,000 in a string of raids in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. Halliwell sold \u00a3100,000 worth of stolen goods in Hatton Garden, London&#8217;s diamond district, Swindon Crown Court was told.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37250180\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37250180\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.5\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Halliwell murdered Becky Godden-Edwards in 2003\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250180.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_SWNS_BECKY_HALLIWELL_09.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250180.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_SWNS_BECKY_HALLIWELL_09.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250180.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_SWNS_BECKY_HALLIWELL_09.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250180.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_SWNS_BECKY_HALLIWELL_09.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Halliwell murdered Becky Godden-Edwards in 2003\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Halliwell murdered Becky Godden-Edwards in 2003<cite aria-label=\"Image: Godden Family \/ SWNS\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Godden Family \/ SWNS)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He continued to travel across the country after meeting his first wife and becoming a lorry driver for his father-in-law&#8217;s construction company upon his release from jail. Halliwell then became a taxi driver, giving him a perfect cover to stalk his victims and scout out places where he could dump their remains.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">He was 47-years-old when he was finally caught in 2011 after he abducted office worker Sian as she made her way home from a night out with friends in Swindon. Halliwell then led detective Steve Fulcher to an isolated field where he buried Becky eight years earlier. <!-- -->But a judge ruled the confession to Becky&#8217;s murder breached police rules and was inadmissible, and her case was dropped in 2012 while Halliwell was convicted of Sian&#8217;s murder.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-37250192\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"37250192\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.62\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Melanie Hall vanished in 1996\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250192.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Melanie-Hall-image.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250192.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_Melanie-Hall-image.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250192.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Melanie-Hall-image.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article37250192.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_Melanie-Hall-image.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Melanie Hall vanished in 1996\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Melanie Hall vanished in 1996<cite aria-label=\"Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary \" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Avon and Somerset Constabulary )<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Tireless campaigning by Karen finally ended in the killer&#8217;s 2016 prosecution for her murder and he was handed a whole-life sentence. <!-- -->Karen was played by Imelda Staunton in A Confession, ITV&#8217;s 2019 drama about the case with Martin Freeman as Det Supt Fulcher and Joe Absolom as Halliwell.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The latest breakthrough comes seven years after a Mirror investigation made Halliwell the prime suspect in the unsolved murder of a fourth woman. Julie Finley, 23, was abducted from the centre of Liverpool in the early hours of August 5 1994, two years before Melanie&#8217;s murder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Her naked body was found dumped in a carrot field 12 miles away next to a layby in Rainford on the Lancashire Merseyside border. <!-- -->The Mirror revealed in 2019 that at the time Halliwell was living a few miles away in Aughton, Lancs, while fitting windows in north Wales. Crucially, he was driving an unmarked white D-reg Ford Transit van just like one spotted at the spot where Julie&#8217;s body was discovered.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">A witness said they had seen a man and woman arguing by the vehcile in the early hours of August 5 1999. <!-- -->Avon and Somerset Police said: \u201cIt would be wrong to ignore any previous people who have killed, but there\u2019s nothing in our investigation to suggest Christopher Halliwell is more of a suspect. It\u2019s not a strong line of enquiry for us at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirror.co.uk\/news\/uk-news\/melanie-hall-murder-christopher-halliwell-37250133\" target=\"_blank\">Source link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>EXCLUSIVE: Official records prove Halliwell had links to the spot where Melanie Hall&#8217;s remains were<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4906,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1_SWNS_SIAN_TAXI_08.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4905","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4905"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4905\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4906"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4905"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4905"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/login9ja.com\/global\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4905"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}