On this episode of They Walk Among America… The rural roadside was illuminated by the flames consuming the trailer, and the blue and red flashing lights of the emergency vehicles. It was a chaotic scene as people desperately tried to rescue the teenage girls believed to be trapped inside. As firefighters dashed towards the blaze, someone on the road noticed a girl lying face down in the mud. When paramedics noticed a gaping 6-inch wound in her abdomen, they believed she had been injured in the fire somehow, but when a surgeon found a shotgun wad inside her body at the hospital, it was clear that the fire had been set intentionally to cover a horrific crime…

In 1952, Cardiff was a bustling industrial hub, a Welsh city that was in the midst of post-war construction. Cardiff docks were the main economic driver, and they welcomed ships from all across the globe, trading goods and raw materials. This trade led to the city quickly becoming a hub of multiculturalism. In particular, it became home to many Somali sailors who had sought new pastures. That same year, one of those sailors would find himself at the centre of a murder investigation that would highlight the dangers of a biassed justice system...

The Newborough family had gathered together at their home in Nuneaton. They had just finished their dinner, when 23-year-old Megan said she was going out to meet a “friend” from work. His name was Ross McCullam, and she described him as a gentleman. Her words were meant to reassure her family, to give the impression of a harmless, platonic encounter, since they had not met this “friend”. She waved her family goodbye as Megan climbed into her Citroen C3 and set off into the night…

Saturday, April 18th, 1998. In the early hours of the morning, two police officers were dispatched to the scene of a disturbance at a car park near Dolphin Square and Oxford Street in Weston-Super-Mare. PC Clive Golding-Ellis and PC Robert Deville were expecting a standard weekend drunken brawl. They saw something much different and considerably more disturbing. A woman was lying on the ground. Her skin blistered and distorted with extensive burns that covered her head and upper body. As the officers urgently called for an ambulance, they spoke to a man standing nearby, drinking from a can of lager. He was drunk and told the officers, "I tried to put her out. The flames kept going back again”…

In the early hours of July 14th, a resident of Highfield Road in Neston heard banging on his front door. On his doorstep, he saw a middle-aged woman in a state of distress. The homeowner didn’t know her well, but he knew she lived further down the street. Through heaving sobs, his neighbour said: "I've hurt him. I've hurt him really bad. I think I’ve killed him…"

Wedding days are often cherished as one of life's most memorable occasions, filled with anticipation for a bright future. In October 2021, Dawn Walker embarked on this journey as she married her partner of three years, Thomas Nutt. In a registry office, Dawn skipped traditional white or ivory, choosing a vibrant red dress. The couple exchanged vows, but Dawn had some reservations. She confided in friends that she feared something “bad” would happen to her. On a day that was meant to represent the pinnacle of happiness, this eerie premonition came true…

As time progressed, DNA testing methods evolved, becoming increasingly sophisticated and refined. Cold cases that had remained unsolved for decades were revisited periodically, with renewed hope that advanced forensic analysis could crack the case. With the turn of the millennium, further advancements in DNA extraction techniques emerged, enhancing the ability to obtain valuable genetic material from even the most challenging samples. In 2007, a massive breakthrough was made in two unsolved cases from the 1970s, which showed that an unidentified serial killer was responsible...

Cinema owner Peter Moore had been arrested for the murder of Tony Davies at Pensarn Beach in North Wales in December 1995. A detailed search of Moore’s home indicated that the unassuming businessman had an interest in sadomasochism and other activities that were infinitely darker. After initially denying involvement in the murder, Moore made a late-night statement and said he wanted to confess to additional crimes he was not even suspected of committing… (Part 2 of 2) 

“Black was his uniform. He was the man in black, with black clothes, black thoughts, and the blackest deeds” 

— Alex Carlile QC, Mold Crown Court, November 1996… (Part 1 of 2) 

The Victorian era was an interesting time of development — advancements in machinery and modern medicine must have seemed like a new world. That said, it was also a time of great social inequality and hardship. Art was used to start a dialogue on the social issues that plagued Britain, and the period gave rise to some of the most notable artists and writers in history. While many artists were seen as eccentric characters, it was well-known that eccentricity lends itself to a creative mind. It was also well-known that a fine line existed between an extraordinary mind and a troubled one. As Aristotle once said, “There is no great genius without some touch of madness.”

The sun was starting to set on The Blackbird Leys estate at around 4:30 PM on December 10th, 1994. Henry Sheriff was decorating the back room at his home on Monks Close when he was interrupted by a loud bang, a noise that echoed throughout the nearby properties. Henry wondered if it was someone joyriding again or a car back-firing. A short time after the deafening sound, a 999 call was made to the police, but when the operator answered the phone, nobody spoke. All she could hear on the other end of the line was a man groaning and gasping for breath…

When mutilated human remains are found scattered across Richmond in London, a remorseless killer will go to extreme lengths to distance themselves from the crime. It would take over a century for the final piece of the puzzle to be found… 

"All the evidence indicates Mr Wood was a mild-mannered, inoffensive man. There was no evidence of him having attacked you or having the opportunity to defend himself. There was evidence of gratuitous violence and humiliation before the killing" 

- Judge James Fingret, Reading Crown Court, October 2004