Episode 754: Dennis Nilsen - The Kindly Killer (Part 1)

On the morning of February 8, 1983, a plumber working in London’s Muswell Hill neighbor opened a drainage cover behind a Cranley Gardens apartment building and made a horrific discovery—the drain was blocked by pieces of bone and human tissue. Upon investigation, detectives traced the blockage back to one apartment in the building, where additional evidence suggested things were far worse than they’d initially thought.

When the occupant of the apartment, Dennis Nilsen, was confronted with the human remains, he began telling investigators a shocking story and when he was finished, Nilsen had confessed to murdering and dismembering at fifteen men over the course of five years.

In the annals of British crime, Dennis Nilsen ranks among the worst serial killers the country has ever seen, not only because of the number of people he killed, but also the method of disposal and the motive.

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References

Barlass, Tim, and Robert Mendick. 2006. "Killer: This was my first victim." Evening Standard (London, UK), November 9: 1.

Davies, Nick. 1983. "A nice person, says the man who escaped." The Guardian, October 26: 5.

—. 1983. "Nilsen 'claimed to have no tears for victims, bereaved, or himself'." The Guardian, October 26: 5.

—. 1983. "Nilsen 'enjoyed power of his victims'." The Guardian, November 1: 4.

—. 1983. "Nilsen tells of horror and shame at killings." The Guardian, October 28: 2.

Henry, Ian. 1983. "'My fury if visitors didn't listen to me'." Daily Telegraph (London, UK), October 27: 3.

—. 1983. "Nilsen 'has admitted 15 or 16 killings'." Daily Telegraph (London, UK), October 25: 3.

Liverpool Echo. 1983. "London body: Man in court." Liverpool Echo, February 12: 1.

Masters, Brian. 1985. Killing for Company: The Case of Dennis Nilsen. London, UK: J. Cape.

McMillan, Greg. 1980. "Family scours Britain for missing son." Hamilton Spectator (Hamilton, ON), January 31: 10.

Murphy, Fin. 2021. "I struck up a friendship with serial killer Dennis Nilsen. Then I edited his memoirs." Vice, January 29.

Nicholson-Lord, David. 1983. "Doctor tells jury of Nlsen's false-self." The Times, October 28: 1.

—. 1983. "Nilsen given 25-year sentence." The Times, November 5: 1.

Tatchell, Peter. 2022. Police failed Dennis Nilsen’s victims. Decades later, little has changed. January 24. Accessed September 15, 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/24/police-dennis-nilsen-victims-homophobic-murders.

The Guardian. 1983. "State of mind issue put to Nilsen jury." The Guardian, November 3: 3.

The Times. 1983. "Nilsen strangled, cut up and burnt men he met in pubs, jury told." The Times, October 25: 1.

—. 1984. "Prisoners live in fear of Nilsen." The Times, June 21: 3.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025) Listener Tale Theme Music licensed from https://www.purple-planet.com Main Theme: Matti Paalanen — Trick or Treat — Provided by Jamendo Ad Music: Title: Artist: BlueJay Studio — Spooky Waltz — Provided by Jamendo