What really happened at Cromwell Street? (Part 3/3) | Forensic Files

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this episode contains graphic descriptions of child abuse it won't be suitable for all listeners
please Rose West sat stiffly in the police interrogation room unlike her chatty and a boastful husband
Rose was Curt and cautious she rarely answered a question in full instead giving vague monosyllabic
responses she expressed a little concern for her daughter Heather maintaining that she
hadn't heard from her since she left home several years prior then the interviewing detectives cut to
the chase there has been a major development one said calmly Fred has confessed to murdering Heather
Rose responded immediately what several seconds of Silence followed before she asked
so you know where she is the detective replied Fred has told us where she is Rose tilted her head back and wailed in
a manner later described as sounding like a banshee then she snarled Fred's a dead man if I ever get my hands
on him her cries grew louder the detectives were incredulous if there was one thing they'd learned it was that
Rose West was a cold and cruel woman who cared a little for her children when speaking to a neighbor about
Heather's disappearance Rose had said she was not bothered if Heather was alive or dead
sure enough roses wailing abruptly stopped as though nothing had happened by the time the detectives informed her
that Heather's bones had been found in the back Garden her emotional theatrics were well and truly over
why have we got to go through this again Rose replied before complaining that Heather had given them loads of hassle
Rose was questioned for almost as long as the law permitted unless investigators were prepared to
press charges they would have no choice but to let her go that came at a risk the last time Rose was under
investigation she intentionally overdosed on medication there were genuine concerns that she
might again attempt to Suicide to avoid prosecution as the deadline to release Rose
approached investigators worked hard to extract the confession or uncover a floor in her husband's story
but they were unable to conclusively tie Rose to any of Fred's crimes they had no choice
Rose was released word of the situation unfolding on Cromwell Street was spreading across the
country news crews descended on number 25 as reporters bombarded police and passes by
with questions with all the Press activity out front and police efforts in the back the house
itself was eerily quiet inside Rose West settled into a quiet stasis she stood at a rear window watching the
dig in the back Garden from behind a mesh curtain she'd just been informed that she had to
leave the property following Fred's latest admissions investigators had been granted
permission to extend the search into the West's house they were Keen to examine the ground
floor bathroom where Fred said he'd dismembered Heather and the longer Rose remained there the
higher the risk that evidence might be destroyed police organized for Rose to stay at a
safe house on the outskirts of Gloucester she told her eldest children may and Stephen
I'm spending one night here and to then wear off and we're never coming back to Cromwell
straight again [Music] [Music] news of the discoveries at 25 Cromwell Street reached John Garth a senior
officer of the gloucestershire fire and rescue service the address was significant to John and
his wife June almost 21 years earlier in April 1973 June Gough returned home to find a note
from her 19 year old daughter Linda it read dear Mum and Dad please don't worry about me I have got a flat and I will
come and see you sometime Linda was a cheerful happy and friendly young woman she accepted advice but as
she Grew Older she started to Rebel in a typical teenager way while Jon and June cared for Linda
deeply they also respected her desire for Independence although her letter didn't indicate
where she had gone or what she planned on doing her parents discovered that she'd found work as a seamstress
this seized their concerns they were certain Linda would eventually return home of her own volition as she
wouldn't have the funds to support living independently for long but days turned to weeks with no word
from Linda her 20th birthday came and went without any contact John and June Gough grew anxious
by the third week of Silence June went looking for her daughter she visited the seamstress where Linda
worked and learned that Linda was residing at a house a short distance away she was working as a live-in nanny for
the family at 25 Cromwell Street when June laid eyes on the Blake and quiet three-story residence a chill ran
through her body she knocked on the front door and was greeted by the homeowners Fred and Rose
West June recognized Rose she had stopped by the goth house a few weeks earlier to take Linda out for a
drink but when June asked about Linda the West said they didn't know her as they chatted on the doorstep June
Goff looked down and noticed that Rose was wearing her daughter's slippers her blouse also looked like one of
Linda's June peered past Fred and Rose sent into their rear Garden several autumns of clothing belonging to
Linda were hanging on the couple's washing line June pointed this out Rose admitted that Linda had stayed with
them briefly but had since moved on leaving some of her clothing behind according to the wests Linda had
mentioned going to a seaside resort called Western super Mare John and June Gough were upset and
Confused that their daughter had left Gloucester without saying goodbye they went to Western Superman but found
no trace of Linda there followed up with the various welfare organizations and discussed the
situation with a neighbor who was a police officer the general consensus was that Linda was
an adult seeking Life Experiences there was little her parents could do to make her return
because John and June never suspected that their daughter met with Foul Play they hadn't formally reported her
missing they just lived every day hoping she would reach out or come home but whenever June Gough passed 25
Cromwell Street she felt the same uneasy feeling she'd experienced when she first
saw the house more than two decades later Linda goff's story was of interest to the police
investigating Fred and Rose West like Heather West Linda had vanished from 25 Cromwell Street never to be seen
or heard from again the explanation that Linda had gone to Western Superman was remarkably similar
to Fred and Rose's claim that Heather was in Torquay another Seaside town when detectives asked Fred about Linda
Goff he denied ever meeting anyone with that name he also accused the Goths of making up
this story to quote get on the bandwagon and make money from the Press investigators weren't sure where Linda
goth fit into the case if at all the Dig of the West's Back Garden had failed to uncover any further remains
after great difficulty they convinced Fred to admit that Linda had actually stayed at his house once
however Fred still insisted that she'd gone to Western Superman meanwhile 25 Cromwell Street was
stripped from the attic to The Cellar fitted cabinets were dismantled baths and sinks were torn out and carpets and
linoleum were rolled up 1300 items belonging to the West family were removed recorded and put into
storage for further examination the only thing left inside the residence was a large fish tank that was too big
to remove [Music] exposing the home's Bare Bones revealed its secrets concealed behind hanging Decor were
small peepholes drilled into several doors and walls these were no doubt used by Fred West to
engage in Acts of voyeurism some even looked into his daughter's bedrooms in two separate rooms police found a
small urn and a jar both on display inside them were rashes forensic testing revealed the contents
were burnt underwear according to Fred the underwear had been worn by Rose when she had sex with other
men after these encounters she wrote the date on the underwear then burned them and collected the ashes
it was Fred explained their way of remembering past sexual experiences yet there was no visible evidence
pertaining to the death or dismemberment of Heather West Shirley Robinson or Alison Chambers
nor was anything found in relation to Linda goff's disappearance no traces of blood were found in any
significant areas if there had ever been blood stains in their house they would have faded away
over the years a military-grade ground penetrating radar was brought to the house
while the radar couldn't detect human remains it emitted an electrical pulse that identified disturbances or
abnormalities six feet below the Earth [Music] Fred West asked often about the condition of his home
when he heard that special equipment was being used to search for additional Graves he seemed rattled and decided to
speak with his solicitor alone afterwards detectives were handed a piece of lined paper torn from a
notebook on it was a handwritten message that began I Frederick West wished to admit to a
further approx nine killings this confession came at 5 30 pm on Friday March 4 1994.
eight days after police began searching 25 Cromwell Street nothing uncovered had indicated that
Fred killed more than the three young women investigators were already aware of but for whatever reason he had given up
his efforts to outwit them once the initial shock of Fred's admission wore off police were faced
with the severity of the situation there were at least nine more victims to locate and identify meaning many more
loved ones to break terrible news to among them were Jon and June Garth while Fred's note was brief it did name
three of his victims one was Linda Goff with his confession out in the open Fred
West went back to being his talkative cool-headed self harboring the secrets of the alleged
additional killings had put him back in control the subsequent interview was as painstaking as ever
detective Constable Hazel Savage pushed on knowing they were at the mercy of Fred's mood swings
one minute he was cooperative and willing to divulge details of his crimes the next he denied everything and
started waffling on fanciful tangents whenever Fred appeared to be in a helpful State Constable Savage worked
quickly to gain as much information as possible Fred said that the women he killed were
mostly hitchhikers runaways or sex workers he'd picked them up from various places
in and out of Gloucester before taking them back to Cromwell Street sex acts had occurred but Fred insisted
these were consensual in all cases Fred strangled the women to death then cut up their bodies to make
them easier to bury Fred didn't know his victims names or exactly how many there were
it was decided that he should be taken back to 25 Cromwell Street again to pinpoint where he'd buried them
as night descended the police present at the west house dwindled only a small crew remained to stand
guard overnight reporters camping in front of the property took this time to return to
their offices or head to the nearest pub to gossip with locals once the coaster was clear Fred West was
brought to the scene disguised as a member of the digging crew he was discreetly ushered inside the
empty shell of his home Fred went down into the cellar where he became noticeably stressed
he kept staring around the space as if he was lost holding a can of red spray paint Fred
moved to the area of the cellar that was once used as his children's play area the walls were adorned with scribbles
and art painted by the West children Fred stood in an Alcove and sprayed a red circle on the ground below
Lucy he said [Music] underneath the timber stairs that led out of the cellar Fred Drew another
Circle a girl from newent he remarked he moved in front of an imitation fireplace sprayed a third circle and
said the Dutch girl [Music] at the base of a wall covered with wallpaper featuring actress Marilyn
Monroe Fred Drew another Circle by an open fireplace announcing a Worcester girl
the final Circle was on the right hand side Fred explained that there were in fact
two girls from Worcester buried in the cellar he led investigators into the extension
he'd built at the rear of the ground floor he entered the bathroom and Drew a seventh circle on the floor there
Linda Gough [Music] efforts to identify Lucy the Dutch girl the girl from Newland and the two girls
from Worcester commenced tracing all the women who had encountered Fred West over the years was
a massive undertaking most of the 150 lodges who'd stayed at 25 Cromwell Street were young women
they had drifted in and out often remembered only by nicknames or limited physical descriptions
[Music] then there were the hundreds of other people who had visited the property over
the years from the party guests and friends or partners of The Lodges to the many men and women who met with Fred and
Rose for sexual relations investigators sifted through the records of Regional Police Social Services local
Care Homes and charity organizations to find the details of any young women who had vanished in the last 20 years
the missing person's helpline rang off the hawk as callers sought to find out if their absent loved one might have
crossed paths with Fred West whenever a new name emerged investigators tracked that person down
and confirmed their identity to ensure they were accounted for anyone who wasn't was highlighted and
looked into further it took two men to drag the ground penetrating radar equipment along the
bare concrete floor of the West's cellar abnormalities were detected in the earth
below the red circles that Fred painted large pneumatic drills were used to break through the concrete filling the
confined space with dust and sending sharp fragments ricocheting off the walls the Earth underneath was then carefully
removed by hand the holes contained the same black clay-like sludge that plagued the pit in
the back Garden soon the seller rigged with the stanch of decomposition the first set of remains were uncovered
by the imitation fireplace 21 year old sociology student Therese siegenthaler had vanished in April 1974.
while Fred had referred to her as the Dutch girl Therese was actually Swiss she had been raised in the
german-speaking burn area giving her a distinct Germanic accent Therese was last seen alive at a party
in South London where she spoke of her plans to hitchhike to Wales and then take a ferry across the Irish sea to
visit a friend in Dublin France had warned her about the danger of accepting rides from strangers but
Therese was confident that all would be okay she jokingly remarked I can look after myself I'm a judo
expert Therese had informed her father that she would return from Dublin in a week's
time she never did and the police failed to find any trace of her almost two decades later Teresa's
skeletal remains were Unearthed in the cellar at 25 Cromwell Street there was no history between Therese Sig
and tala and Fred West Therese had likely accepted a ride from Fred who was known to drive around
offering young women lifts after burying to raise in his Cellar Fred built a fake chimney over her
graveside as a disguise like the young women found outside Therese siegenthaler had been
dismandered with her legs and heads separated from her torso a water log to mud-soaked scarf was
retrieved from her grave it had been tied into a bow Teresa's brown hair was knotted inside
indicating this scarf had been tied around the back of her head as a gag by the open fireplace on the other side
of the cellar where the remains of victim number five one of the so-called Worcester girls
fifteen-year-old Shirley Hubbard had been in care since the age of two described as pretty and spirited she was
also vulnerable and had been taken advantage of by older man in November 1974 Shirley was living in
the city of Worcester 25 miles north of Gloucester she was completing work experience
behind a makeup counter and seeing a young man whom she had met at a funfair one night the couple met for a date
along the river seven where they shared a bag of hot chips at 9 30 Shirley boarded a bus home
she made plans to meet up with her boyfriend again the following day but didn't show up
he never saw her again Fred West had to likely spotted Shirley Hubbard making her way home after her
date and offered her a lift like Fred's other victims Shirley had been cut into three parts
as pathologist Professor Bernard Knight extracted Shirley skull from the West's Cellar he paused
something was stuck to it he wiped the sludge off the skull to get a better look
it took him a moment to realize exactly what he was looking at Shirley's entire skull from forehead to
jaw had been encircled in multiple layers of a light-colored duct tape a 17-inch plastic tube was stuck deep in
one nostril another was found in her grave the tubing had been inserted into Shirley's nose to enable her to breathe
through the duct tape mask Professor Knight was lost for words not even the seasoned detectives in the
room had ever seen anything so horrific but there was more work to be done Professor Noah was led to the Alcove of
the children's play area here in another of Fred's crude gravesites lay the remains of the victim
Fred had referred to as Lucy [Music] in late December 1973 21 year old Lucy Partington was visiting a friend in
Cheltenham which was a 30-minute Drive Northeast of Gloucester during the course of the evening Lucy
and her friend discussed their shared interest in medieval art their conversation motivated Lucy to
write a letter of application to London's courthold Institute a college specializing in art history
the school would suit Lucy well she was a typical youth who enjoyed parties Sports and spending time with
her family she was just as content to sit in front of a fire Reading literature [Music]
Lucy's friend's mother gave her a stamp so she could post the letter on her way home
Lucy left at around 10 15 pm and headed for a bus stop a three-minute walk away next to Marble Hill Park
she caught the bus from there before though it was a dark quiet spot and she was often the only person around
in the past some bus drivers had driven straight by without noticing Lucy waiting
Lucy never made it home an extensive search commenced the largest and most publicized for one of
Fred West's victims thus far police used sniffer dogs televised appeals and reenactments of Lucy's last
known movements to try and determine what had happened they failed to find any answers at the
time but now believed to Lucy Partington had also been coasted into Fred's car while on her way home
like Shirley Hubbard Lucy's skull was tightly wound with light-colored duct tape
also found with her remains was a six-inch knife with a black handle and a makeshift restraint made from two pieces
of cord Fred referred to the victim he'd buried under the cellar stairs as a girl from a
newent he eventually remembered her name Juanita in the spring of 1975 18 year old
Juanita Mart had left her job at a bottling Factory and was staying with a family friend in the town of Newland
in early April she left to hitchhike the roughly 10 Mile journey into Gloucester
to sign up at a job center she had traveled to Gloucester this way many times before accepting lifts on the
side of the b4215 a rural road that led to and from the city Juanita had promised to babysit her
friend's children the following day but she never showed up even though her personal belongings were
left behind Juanita's Family believed she had run away possibly to London her two sisters regularly traveled into
the city spending all their money at the registry office to sift through records
and phone books to try and track her down [Music] they had no idea that Juanita was
actually a straight away from one of their homes buried under 25 Cromwell Street
[Music] Juanita mod had a known history with Fred West she associated with people who had
lodged at the West home and stayed there herself on occasion because the rent was
cheap but on the day Juanita went missing she hadn't mentioned any plans to go there
investigators deduced that Fred had likely spotted juanado as she hitchhiked and recognized another opportunity
when pathologist Professor Bernard Knight dipped his hand inside Juanita's muddy grave to retrieve her bones he was
met with resistance feeling around he soon realized the bones were connected by something
he managed to get a good grip on an arm and to lift the entire massive remains with it
gray clothesline rope was knotted around Juanita's arms torso and legs the ends had been fashioned into
wrist-sized slipknots a noose was also found along with a ligature made from various items of
clothing among them was a bra and two long white nylon socks similar to those often worn
by Rose West Professor Knott believed that Juanita had likely been hogtied and suspended
from the ceiling beams above while it was believed Fred's other victims had died either by strangulation
or asphyxiation Juanita's skull featured a depressed fracture behind the right ear
it was a heavy blow caused by a circular object similar to a ball-headed hammer but it couldn't be ascertained whether
the injury was sustained pre or post-mortem only one red circle remained on the cellar floor the alleged graveside of
the second the girl from Worcester extensive digging of this space failed to uncover anything
yet because Fred West's information had so far proven correct investigators were
reluctant to give up they dug wider and deeper eventually three feet below the Earth
they found more human remains fifteen-year-old Carol Cooper was last seen alive in November 1973 after
spending the evening at a cinema in Worcester with her boyfriend and their friends
from there Carol was heading to her grandmother's where she intended to spend the weekend
it was a rare change of scenery for the teenager who had been living in a children's home since the death of her
mother at 9 15 Carroll boarded a bus and waved goodbye to her boyfriend she was upbeat and looking forward to
their next date but she was never seen again Fred had likely picked Carol Cooper up
as she was on route to her grandmother's the lower part of her skull was found wrapped in an elasticated cloth band
while a loop of fabric with a half inch knot was tied under her forearms clothesline rope was recovered nearby
along with a headband made of surgical tape that contained strands of Carol's hair
Excavating Linda goff's remains from the bathroom in the ground floor extension presented a challenge
it was the most physically demanding excavation so far and to the bathroom itself was small and cramped
only a couple of people could dig in there at any given time Additionally the large PID in the back
Garden had put the structural Integrity of the extension at risk police did their best to secure the
building but this was difficult due to Fred's shoddy craftsmanship excavation of the rear Garden was slowed
to prevent a catastrophic collapse onto the crime scene drilling through the concrete floor
revealed a layer of Earth stone household rubbish and construction debris eventually Linda goff's remains were
spotted Professor Knight carefully removed one bone after another mindful that the hole
could collapse at any moment Linda had been dismembered and decapitated lengths of cord and elasticated cloth
found with her remains indicated that she too had been bound and gagged [Music] each of the gravesites were widened to
facilitate A Fine Arts sieve search despite this none of the victim's remains were fully recovered
each was missing a variation of kneecaps fingers toes ribs vertebrae shoulder blades and other smaller bones
aside from the extreme sexual torture the women had evidently endured there were signs of further suffering
Heather's fingernails had been forcibly ripped off and Scattered in her grave Cromwell Street and its surrounds had
been completely shut down due to the huge crowd trying to catch a glimpse of what the media had dubbed the House of
Horrors reporters from all over the world flocked to Gloucester to cover the case
live footage of the home was broadcast on 24-hour news channels the West's neighbors charged people
money to stand in their Gardens peer out from their windows or to use their toilets
several turned their facades into shop fronts where they sold food and drinks some news crews erected scaffolding
around 25 Cromwell Street to get a clearer view of the dig in the back Garden police had never seen anything like it
[Music] Witnesses quickly sold their stories to the press and unsettling reports about
strange encounters with the wests were splashed across tabloids some spoke about Rose's tendency to
answer the front door wearing lingerie or to go out in public without underwear others mentioned Fred performing lewd
acts while driving young women around some visitors to the West's home had reportedly found Fred and Rose watching
pornography with their children [Music] Rose allegedly told someone that Fred had been having sex with his children
the witness claimed to have anonymously reported the comment to welfare agencies
but apparently nothing was done lodges had heard thumps crashes whales and shrakes emanating from Rose's room
where she conducted her sex work neighbors recalled screaming emanating from 25 Cromwell Street late at night
and said a terrible smell lingered around the house plagues of flies hovered around the
cellar which Fred had once referred to as his torture chamber despite all this the killings themselves
had seemingly gone unnoticed over the 14-year period spanning 1973 to 1987. Fred West had killed nine young
women in his home eight of them perished during the first six years he lived there
Linda Goff was first he then murdered Carol Cooper Lucy Partington Therese siegenthaler Shirley
Hubbard and Juanita Mart after concreting over the cellar floor he started filling his back garden with
bodies beginning with Shirley Robinson and then Alison Chambers there was an eight-year break before he
set his sights on his own daughter Heather West it was clear that Fred wasn't being
truthful about the murders he offered no explanation for the restraints or weapons found in any of
the graves except in Linda goff's Case he claimed that her death was accidental a bondage incident gone wrong
he dropped her up in the cellar and Linda enjoyed it then Fred went to answer the door and
when he returned Linda had hung herself I've never killed anyone outright you're
trying to make out that I just went out and blatantly killed somebody Fred told Detectives
he also claimed that he had never raped anybody enjoyment turned to disaster were his
words Fred told a lie after lie when attempting to explain a motive for Age killing
he said that Shirley Robinson had sexually abused his daughter Anna Marie then he said he killed Shirley because
she was jealous of rose finally it was because Shirley had called Rosa quote [ __ ] a slag and a cow
as one detective said Fred's word was worthless except to confirm that nothing he said could be relied upon as anything
near the truth [Music] but there was still the matter of Fred's written confession
in it he had named three of his victims one was Linda Goff the other two weren't found at 25
Cromwell Street [Music] case File will be back shortly thank you for supporting us by listening to this
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live smarter Fred West stood in a field in the middle of nowhere was a short hike from his childhood home
in the village of much Markle 16 miles Northwest of Gloucester The Familiar isolated Countryside
stretched around him for miles in his younger years Fred had walked to this very spot with his siblings
collecting wildflowers that they would later sell as a teen he had crashed his motorcycle
nearby resulting in a week-long coma and severe head injuries it was also where he carried out a lot
of his farmhand work around that time the area was known as the letterbox Field named after a distinct red mailbox
that was attached to a surrounding fans detectives crowded around Fred as he trudged through the thick mud of the
freshly plowed field the Topography of the area had changed a lot since 1971. back then Fred had climbed a small
incline towards a cluster of cut back yew trees in a spot next to the Hedgerow that was
unlikely to be disturbed he dug a hole revisiting letterbox field in 1994. Fred placed a piece of wood where he believed
he had dug the hole all those years ago it was there that he said he had buried his first wife Reina
Fred gave conflicting stories regarding Reina West's murder whatever the truth it seemed to have
started when Fred met Raynor at a pub one evening in August 1971. by the end of the night Rina was heavily
intoxicated Fred took her to his van and drove her towards a letterbox field which was one
of rayna's favorite spots in one version of his story Fred said Rayna was quote absolutely paralytic to
the point of unconsciousness he hauled her out of his van and slammed her heart against the gate killing her
in another statement Fred said the pair got into an argument that ended with him
strangling Rina to death in any case Fred claimed he'd used a large saber knife and alongside to
dismember arena in what became his characteristic way removing the legs from the Torso followed by decapitation
as to why he killed Reina frad had been pursuing a marriage to the then teenage Rose
Fred and Rose had just had their first child together Heather Fred was in a constant battle with Reina
over the custody of her two children Charmaine and Anna Marie he explained to detectives
I had too many people to watch at once that's what went wrong a trench was established in the vicinity
of Fred's wooden marker soil was carried along a motorized conveyor belt to be thoroughly sieved
and examined after that it was either Carried Away by hand or placed into wheelbarrows to be
added to a growing pile by Nightfall the trench was four feet deep and spanned 10 feet either side of
the marker there had been no significant discoveries digging resumed the following morning
under the watchful lies of the journalists who had gathered along the site's perimeter
the trench was expanded to almost 100 feet but still nothing was found when days passed with no breakthroughs
detectives considered the possibility that Fred West had lied to them [Music] by Sunday April 10 the letterbox field
dig had reached its 13th fruitless day a mini mechanical Digger was brought in to remove the more solid soil
near a Fallen Tree slightly further uphill from where Fred had placed his marker the Digger Unearthed what looked
like part of a human skull before long more skeletal remains were found pathologist Professor Bernard Knight
lowered himself into the trench to examine the bones they were extremely brittle compared to
those who'd recovered at 25 Cromwell Street and they broke to Pieces during recovery
still Professor night was able to identify the remains as belonging to Arena West
when Fred was showing detectives the burial saw it he drew their attention to an adjoining 13-acre cornfield called
finger post field it was named after the shape of a signpost at its entrance Fred said he had a feeling that was
where animate 4 was buried Anna was a friend of Arenas who had vanished 27 years earlier in July 1967.
at the time of her disappearance Anna was having an affair with Fred and was pregnant with his child
Fred told detectives that Reina killed Anna in a drunken jealous rage Fred Denard being involved or knowing
how Anna died he did however feel that Anna was in finger post field buried among some
vegetation next to a pond upon uncovering Raina West's remains police moved their excavation equipment
into finger post field to begin searching for Anna McFall since 1967 the area had been covered in
soil and the pond no longer existed investigators used old Council land maps and sought help from an archaeologist to
Mark exactly where the pond had once been dig efforts were hampered by frequent downpours that pelted across the fields
the lay of the land meant the rainwater kept it draining downwards into the search area turning the trench into a
bog of red mud and clay pumps were brought in but did a little to Abate the flooding
investigators were forced to wait until the weather cleared and the land hardened
even then it was no easy task the Old Pond was filled with large tree roots that were difficult to shift
by mid-may the third month of the West inquiry more than 400 tons of Earth had been moved from finger post field
but only half of the designated area was searched Fred West refused to offer any further
insight into animac Falls whereabouts instead gloating that she would never be found
the Dig was given until June 11 to be completed when the deadline arrived the trench
covered 600 square meters and was two meters deep but nothing significant had been found
the decision was made to wrap things up as a last-ditch effort the dig Team headed over to a small area of Woodland
that locals had pointed out to them shortly after 7 20 that night diggers working less than two meters from the
tree line Unearthed skeletal remains they had found Anna McFall Anna had been dismembered and several of
her smaller bones were missing her wrists were bound together with cord in her grave were different lengths of
rope one of which was nodded buried with Anna was her and Fred's unborn fetus which was around six to
seven months in gestation [Music] the third and final name included in Fred's confession letter was that of his
stepdaughter Charmaine West Fred claimed that on the night he killed Rina he returned to his van only to
remember that rina's oldest daughter eight-year-old Charmaine was fast asleep in the back seat
unsure what to do next Fred held Charmaine by the throat until she stopped breathing
he drove charmaine's body back to 25 Midland Road in Gloucester where he and Rose were living at the time
after wrapping charmaine's body in a Tartan blanket Fred hit her in a coal Cellar under the kitchen
he left her there for years before eventually burying her under the house [Music]
diggers were sent to 25 Midland Road marking the fifth active dig side in the west case
Charmaine West was discovered buried six feet deep in the backyard by the rear door of the flat
her kneecaps part of her breastbone and a number of her wrist ankle finger and to toe bones were missing
when asked about their whereabouts Fred stared in silence he delayed a say he removed the smaller
bones of his victims to prevent identification investigators believed that Fred had
actually kept them as Macabre keepsakes of his crimes [Music] the only time Fred showed a hint of
emotion was when investigators charged him with charmaine's murder his eyes welled up
Witnesses thought it possible that Fred was overcome with self-pity rather than remorse
while Fred gave no indication that charmaine's death was sexually motivated a witness recalled a disturbing incident
from when Charmaine was just a baby they'd walked in on Fred to find him grinding a naked Charmaine against his
groin Fred claimed that Charmaine had been dressed when he killed her but not a single piece of fabric button zip thread
or elastic was found with her remains like all of Fred's victims it appeared that Charmaine had been buried naked
when presented with this discrepancy Fred said he would no longer answer any questions or assist with any searches
Fred claimed he'd killed Charmaine on the same night as Rina however based on witness accounts and
school records Charmaine West had disappeared around five months before her mother in late March or early April
1971. at that time Fred was serving a short stint in prison for theft Charmaine was actually in the care of
her stepmother Rose [Music] thank you Fred used the rose to justify all of the murders he committed
he claimed his victims had all threatened his marriage in some way prompting him to remove them from his
life permanently Fred West quote all these girls did exactly the same thing it was made quite clear that I was
married to Rose and I don't want nothing to do with them nothing serious it was just thank you ma'am and finished and
every one of them did exactly the same thing I love you I'm pregnant I'm going to tell Rose I want you to come and live
with me and that was the problem Fred also said that at least two of his victims threatened to accuse him of rape
if he didn't give them money quote she said that'll be 10 quid I said if you'd have said that in the
first place I'd have told you to get lost then she started shouting and said you're the sort of person who goes with
slags and I just lost my head with her because as soon as she said that I thought of
Rose and Rose is no slack as far as I was concerned [Music] Fred accused his first wife Rina of
constantly disrupting his and Rose's home life so she had to go Charmaine was a disrespectful child who
caused Rose a lot of grief prompting Fred to dispose of her too whatever story he concocted Fred made it
clear that every murder he committed was for Rosa's benefit yet he insisted Rose had no idea about
any of it the evidence indicated otherwise Rose had once told her parents that Fred
was capable of murder she knew Fred's joke about Heather being buried under the patio
in the past she had restrained her children with objects similar to those found with the bodies of Fred's victims
she was also known to drive around with Fred when he picked up young women [Music]
Rose rarely left home so it seemed absurd that she hadn't seen or heard anything
how could Fred dismember and bury so many victims without Rose noticing a single drop of blood
Rose maintained that she hadn't known any of Fred's victims except Charmaine but numerous witness accounts proved at
the very least she knew Linda Goff Shirley Robinson Alison Chambers and Raina West
of the pair Rose was more violent and sexually insatiable while Fred preferred being the passive Observer
most significantly Rose had a known history of working alongside Fred to abduct young women for her own sexual
sadism the 1972 rape of Caroline Owens at 25 Cromwell Street predated all the murders
committed there in Fred's words that attack was quote Rosa's idea Rose insisted that she couldn't even
remember the incident a search of the West's attic uncovered a box of mementos the couple had saved
over the years from older Love Letters to photographs among them was a clipping from a local
newspaper titled City pair stripped and assaulted girl it was published the day after Fred and
Rose walked free from court for their joint attack on Caroline Owens they had kept to the article as though
it was a souvenir thirty-year-old Catherine Halliday was one of many people who engaged in a
consensual three-way sexual relationship with Fred and Rose West according to Catherine
it wasn't really human contact that Rose wanted she liked pain I wouldn't call it making love
on numerous occasions Catherine was tied up and blindfolded one time the wests bound Catherine with
a nylon cord so tightly that Waltz were left on her wrists and ankles when Catherine asked for the cord to be
loosened Rose replied what if we left you all day and just came back and tormented you every so
often Fred and Rose once showed Catherine a pornographic video filmed inside their
bedroom it featured the couple performing sex acts on a restrained woman who was
clearly in pain the footage left Catherine feeling uneasy gradually the wests became more violent
with Catherine Fred beat her head as Rose slapped her Catherine Halliday quote I felt Fred and Rose were trying to take
me to my physical and emotional limit it all came to a head during one progressively extreme encounter
Rose pressed the pillow into Catherine's face and whispered in her ear what does it feel like not being able to
see the pillow remained in place as Fred and Rose proceeded to rape Catherine Rose mocked her asking
can't you breathe aren't you woman enough to take it Catherine felt something cold and sharp
against her stomach when she was finally released there was a half inch cut near her navel
after this Fred and Rose pressured Catherine to move into 25 Cromwell Street but she stopped saying the couple all
together a decision she later credited with saving her life miss a was only 13 years old when she
met the West misay's identity is suppressed by a court order she came from a deeply troubled family
and was a survivor of child sex abuse consequently she was sent to Jordan's brook house a care home for vulnerable
adolescents Fred and Rose had befriended several girls living there including Alison
Chambers who was killed at Cromwell Street one of the older Jordan's Brook girls
took me say to meet the wests Rose came across as pleasant understanding and caring
she told me say she could visit and cry on her shoulder anytime miss a took rose up on her offer and
dropped by every few weeks the two established a trusting rapport shortly after miss a turned 15 she
visited 25 Cromwell Street Rose who was 23 at the time answered the door in her underwear
although this made me say uncomfortable she entered the house miss a began to vent about her problems
looking for advice and sympathy instead Rose placed an arm around her and started kissing and fondling her
body miss a pushed Rose away and left she was too embarrassed to tell anyone what happened
six weeks passed before miss a returned to 25 Cromwell Street again seeking support
this time Rose was wearing a see-through blouse miss a went to use the bathroom and
could hear Rose speaking to Fred outside the door when misei exited Rose pushed her into a
room towards the front of the house two other girls were there one on a bed and one on the floor
both were naked miss a later identified the girl on the floor as Anna Marie West who would have
been around 14 years old at the time miss a recalled Anna Marie appearing dazed and out of it
while Anna Marie had no recollection of this incident she didn't doubt it happened
she had memories from around that time of Rose drugging her cereal miss a didn't know the other girl but
she looked slightly older Fred West was also in the room sitting and watching silently
[Music] Rose took her clothes off telling the other girls it's all right to touch to feel enjoy
and show affection miss a felt helpless as Fred and Rose stripped her naked she was then forced to watch as the
couple bound the older girls wrists and ankles with brown packing tape then raped her
the girl was frightened and in pain she clearly wanted help but miss a was frozen in fear scared of what the wests
would do to her if she intervened once the assault was over Rose viciously tore the tape off the girl who began
sucking her hair for comfort miss a was then raped in a similar manner throughout the attack Rose's voice
changed constantly one minute she spoke aggressively the next she sounded motherly
she kept asking Fred are you enjoying this now and is that nice at one point Rose exclaimed happily
this is fun it's great afterwards miss a retreated to a bathroom to clean up she put her clothes back on and left
Cromwell straight Barefoot and in tears misay didn't report the assault believing she deserved it for being a
bad child who had to be put into care quote I felt so ashamed I just felt sick and
felt stupid I felt hate for Rose I felt I trusted somebody and she had used me six weeks later miss a went back to 25
Cromwell Street this time she was armed with a can of petrol and a box of matches
she wanted Revenge her plan was to pour the petrol through the letterbox slot in the West's front
door and set the building a light but the two front Gates were padlocked shard misei found herself Frozen again
she couldn't bring herself to go near the house when investigators accused Rose of
having an active role in her husband's crimes her trademark temper surfaced it's a lie she snapped
she told detectives that Fred was a maniac that there was quote something wrong with him altogether
[Music] police bugged at the safe house where Rose was capped in the hopes she'd let
something slip in total 885 recordings were collected they worked in Rose's favor
she was recorded denying any involvement in the murders and making threats against Fred for what he did
she told visiting family members that she hated Fred and didn't want to know anything about him
investigators remained skeptical Rose had once told someone that there was nothing Fred could do that would
make her leave him even when he gave her a black eye Rose remarked to a family friend that she was
lucky Fred stayed with her [Music] a criminal psychologist theorized that the wests had hatched a plan wherein
Fred would admit to all of the murders while Rose would deny everything and be exonerated
Fred West was ultimately charged with the murders of animac4 Linda Goff Carol Cooper Lucy Partington Therese Siegen
tala Shirley Hubbard Juanita Mart Shirley Robinson Alison Chambers and Heather Reina and Charmaine West
no charges were brought against him for the killing of Anna McFall and Shirley Robinson's unborn children as there was
no such crime under British law two months after the police first went to Cromwell Street in their search for
Heather Rose was arrested a decision hadn't been made on What charges she might face other than
possibly a sold occasioning actual bodily harm and indecent assault [Music] the fact remained that there was no
concrete evidence linking Rose to any of the murders investigators had a long list of
questions to determine once and for all if Rose played any role in Fred's serial
killing and were eager to clarify who was the more dominant in the West's marriage
to every single question Rose replied no comment she was held for three days during which
time she was charged with the murder of Linda Goff only then did she offer a different
response I'm innocent [Music] Rose was ultimately charged with all the murders committed at Cromwell Street
letters she had sent to Fred while he was incarcerated in 1971 also secured a charge for the murder of Charmaine West
in one she wrote I think Charmaine likes to be handled rough but darling why do I have to be
the one to do it I would keep her for her own sake if it wasn't for the rest of the children
you can see Charmaine coming out in Anna Marie now and I hate it this letter included the day Fred was to
be released from prison there was no record of him being paroled any earlier this proved that when Charmaine vanished
Fred was still incarcerated and Rose was responsible for her it was believed she was also involved in
Reina West's death somehow but there wasn't sufficient evidence to charge her Rose was 13 years old and wasn't in Fred
West's life when animac4 was killed [Music] Prosecuting Rose West was going to be a
challenge police had over 6 000 pages of interview transcripts with enough evidence to
ensure Fred would be put away for life but throughout roses 73 interviews she did nothing but assert her innocence
the charges against her relied on circumstantial and similar fact evidence witness testimony from those who endured
Rose's abuse would be vital but there was a risk that Witnesses would become non-compliant to avoid the
publicity some had also sold their stories to the media which would no doubt come under
Fire from the defense given the entire case was a media circus it was questioned whether a fair trial
was even possible in the court of public opinion both Fred and Rose West were already guilty
with his wife now facing trial it was hoped Fred would stop protecting her and finally offer up some crucial
information instead he retracted his previous confessions and denied committing any of
the murders however he did give detectives another interesting handwritten note it read
I have not and still not told you the whole truth about these matters the reason for this is that from the
very first day of this inquiry my main concern has been to protect other person or persons and there is nothing else I
wish to say at this time although Fred refused to name the other person or persons involved in his crimes
there was little doubt who he was referring to during pre-trial Court proceedings Rose
West came face to face with her husband for the first time since his arrest upon seeing his wife Fred offered her a
faint smile and patted her on the back several times as he shoveled past into the dark
how are you Rosemary he asked as Rose responded with silence she turned her back on him kept her head
bowed and didn't acknowledge him at all Fred became teary she later remarked that being next to
Fred made her feel sick Fred faced 12 murder charges to Rosa's 10. both pleaded not guilty and were held on
remand in anticipation of what had already been dubbed the trial of the century the couple appeared in court together
several more times in the lead-up to their joint trial Rose made it abundantly clear that she
did not wish to speak to her husband or for him to touch her whenever Fred did reach out he was
pulled back by guards he would watch Rose while she stubbornly looked ahead on the rare occasion she did glance at
him she showed no affection but a length of wool threaded through a buttonhole of Rosa's cardigan and tied
in a larger bow came to police attention when asked about it after court Rose said
it's to help me to remember something police suspected it was a sign to her husband that she had not betrayed him
and remained faithful the couple were known to communicate to one another by sending signals
as the months wore on Fred appeared tired and stressed while Rose looked healthy
she had actually gained weight while in prison Fred had become thinner his hair was
shorter and he had a hearing aid fitted as he complained of deafness Fred West passed his time in prison by
drawing and playing Billiards as he had a fair aptitude for both he also made an attempt to improve his
literacy skills he seemingly enjoyed reading about himself in the tabloids and bust in the
notoriety his case gave him Fred was kept segregated but still worried that other inmates would harm
him for being an accused child abuser and killer yet they were mostly ambivalent towards
Fred who they nicknamed digger when he passed by they shouted build us a patio Fred
if he did have contact with fellow prisoners he asserted his dominance by flashing A demented grin and warning
them to go away Fred's eldest children Anna Marie May and Stephen were almost exclusively his
only visitors Fred was permitted to make phone calls and did so regularly to chat with the
three children he still was allowed to contact he apologized for what had happened and
maintained that he loved them he urged them to sell 25 Cromwell straight and start a new life together
Fred tried to pass on messages to Rose via their children but she never responded
it was clear to the West children that Fred loved and missed his wife he sent her letters which was no easy
feat as he'd struggled to read and write his entire life Rose didn't acknowledge them
a despairing Fred began accusing Rose of trying to break up their family while he never stopped writing letters
to her he did stop sending them Fred had also started taking notes for an autobiography he intended to ride
He said Each chapter would be dedicated to one of the women in his life chapter 1 had allegedly already been
written and was about his first known victim animac4 Fred had titled it I was loved by an Angel
was the pet name he used for Anna in time Fred's children sensed that he was falling apart
he would ramble at them incoherently his eyes filled with tears as Rose West's birthday approached in
November 1994. Fred wrote her a letter but never centered it read well Rose it's your birthday and you
will be 41 and still beautiful and still lovely and I love you he wrote that the most wonderful thing
in his life was when he met her before adding keep your promises to me you know what
they are the letter concluded you will always be Mrs West all over the world I haven't got you a present but
all I have is my life I will give it to you my darling when you are ready come to me I will be
waiting for you at the bottom of the page Fred Dre drew a gravestone it featured the inscription
Fred West and Rose West rest in peace where no Shadow Falls in perfect peace he waits for Rose his wife
a few weeks later Fred penned another unsent letter two rows I loved you forever I made
mistakes I am so upset about you being in prison please keep your promise to me I have kept mine
this letter rendered I can't tell what I know you are all free to go on with whatever
you want to but think of what I did for you all and to never complain I love all of my children they were all
mine all my love and kisses to you my darling Fred on the morning of Sunday January 1 1995
Fred scrawled another letter to his wife happy New Year darling all my love Fred
West all my love forever and ever just after 11 30 a.m he collected his lunch and returned to his cell to wait
this activity typically bought him at least an hour of privacy as it was a public holiday fewer staff were on duty
Fred had kept a busy in prison by volunteering to mend other prisoners shirts through this work he amassed a
collection of fabric scraps and cotton tapes he had also been stealing narrow strips
of material from the hems of his prison blankets over time he twisted and sewed all the
scraps together to make a noose Fred threaded the news through the bars of an air vent directly above the door
of his cell he stood on a bag of laundry secured The Noose around his neck then kicked the bag away
[Music] thank you case File will be back shortly thank you for supporting us by listening to this
episode's sponsors in Bakersfield California in 1991 two boys stumbled Upon A grisly Discovery
the murdered body of a young woman in the shadows is the new podcast from wanderie plus and casefile presents
which follows the ensuing 32-year-old deal to uncover those responsible for the crime and to bring them to justice
during the investigation of in the shadows several individuals revealed a shocking information previously unknown
to authorities ultimately this new insight turned everything on its head the first episode of in the shadows is
available wherever you get your podcasts you can listen to the rest of the series
ad free only on wondery Plus join wondering Plus in the wondery app or on Apple podcasts and take advantage
of their seven-day free trial stay tuned to hear the trailer at the end of today's episode
thank you for listening to this episode's ads by supporting our sponsors you support casefile to continue to
deliver quality content [Music] Fred West didn't die straight away it took several minutes for him to slowly
strangle himself to death his body was discovered almost an hour later efforts were made to resuscitate him but
it was too late Anna Marie West had visited her father shortly before he died he had told her
I want you down as my next of kin Rose don't want me no more she don't want to know
he added your dad's had enough love I'm going to finish it myself I've had enough
through tears Fred explained that he wanted to be buried in his childhood Village of much margul
he reached across the table and stroked Anna Marie's face saying I want you buried there too one day with
me Anna Marie was unnerved and pulled away she informed prison authorities of her
father's suicidal ideation Fred was categorized as a vulnerable prisoner a warden was tasked with the checking in
with him every 15 minutes he was also forced to undergo random cell and body searches for implements he
might use against himself or others but after a while Fred's demeanor seemed more upbeat
he was put back on a more relaxed regime with guards checking on him at the same
intervals as other prisoners this gave Fred more alone time and allowed him to plot and carry out his
suicide May and Stephen West sold the rights to their father's funeral to a tabloid
the service was described as being like a scene from a dark comedy as wretched as Fred West's life had been
photographers from various tabloids left around Fred's simple pale wood casket as
it was transported from the hearse as they snapped photos in a frenzy a scuffle broke out between some of them
the ceremony only lasted a few minutes during which no music was played the presiding Reverend read briefly from
the Bible before announcing a moment of silence the only mourners in attendance were
Fred's children may Stephen and Tara Fred had always wanted to be buried as he founded the idea of being burned
terrifying despite this wish he was cremated 53 year old Fred West took many secrets
to the Grave he never told investigators about the sexual torture he inflicted on his
victims giving no explanation for the masks and restraints found in their graves
he never revealed where he had stored his victim's missing bones other than the murders he was charged
with Fred and never confessed to any other killings [Music] when Rose West was informed of her
husband's death she didn't shed a tear she took no part in planning Fred's funeral and didn't care to hear anything
about it she kept her busy by crocheting baby clothes for her grandchildren and making
teddy bears in the prison Workshop despite showing no intention of harming herself Rose was put on suicide watch as
a precaution speculation arose that Fred had taken his own life as a sacrifice for Rose in
the hopes that it would somehow ensure her freedom one prosecutor remarked if it was wrong to charge Mrs West with
the murders it was always wrong it never relied upon evidence provided by her husband
there has been no loss of evidence against her by his death nevertheless Rosa's solicitors sought to
have her trial thrown out they failed as Rose's trial approached she befriended a fellow prisoner named Myra
hindley the pair had a lot in common and bonded while cooking and watching television
Myra had recently been denied parole in relation to the child killing she perpetrated with her partner Ian Brady
their crimes are covered in episode 49 of casefile the Moore's murders Rose West and Myra hindley were referred
to in prison as the gruesome twosome rumors spread that the pair were romantically involved though they
allegedly had a falling out over who was more infamous Rose West's murder trial commenced in
October 1995. every day she wore a variation of the same conservative outfit a navy suit
with a green waistcoat a white blouse and a small black leather boots a gold crucifix hung from her neck
Rose was escorted Accord in a triple locked police van that had a steel in a capsule and a bulletproof glass
it was surrounded by a convoy of police cars and motorcycles outside court news crews jostled to
catch a glimpse of Rose so she was hastily ushered inside the prosecution's opening statement took
over a day to present they described how the police arrived at 25 Cromwell Street to search for Heather
West but instead found Secrets more terrible than words can express for many in the court it was the first
they'd heard what Fred and Rose West allegedly did to their victims aside from killing them
those seated in the public Gallery wore expressions of shock and horror Rose watched on impassively showing no
emotion except when Heather's name was mentioned only then did she dab her dry eyes with
a tissue the prosecution told the court at the core of this case is the relationship between Frederick and
rosemary West what they knew about each other what they did together what they did to others and how far each was
prepared to go much of what follows can be explained in the context that both were obsessed with
sex the West shared a knowledge of each other which banned them together in total 64 Witnesses were called
the star testimony came from Fred and Rose's survivors among them was the couple's former
living Nanny Caroline Owens whom the media dubbed The One That Got Away Caroline broke down in tears saying
I wanted to get Justice for the girls who didn't make it I feel like it was my fault
Catherine Halliday and miss a also testified as did Elizabeth a Jews Fred and Roses former neighbor on Midland
Road she spoke of how the couple had drugged and raped her Anna Marie West's anxiety peaked in the
lead-up to her Stepmother's trial haunted by nightmares of her childhood she couldn't Aid or sleep and struggled
to maintain a relaxed front for the sake of her daughters she attempted to end her life and
started drinking to calm her nerves police were worried that the pressure would deter Anna Marie from testifying
altogether one night Anna Marie was driving while intoxicated and crashed into a
stationary vehicle she was fined 250 pounds and banned from driving for 18 months
it was the wake-up call she needed Anna Marie sought help to ensure she could testify in court for the sake of
everyone who had suffered at the hands of Fred and Rose West there was an expectant hush as Anna
Marie entered the courtroom as she took her seat in the witness box Rose gave her a half smile of
acknowledgment as Anna Marie gave evidence she played with a gold locket around her neck
it contained the ashes of her mother Reena and half-sister Charmaine wearing it made Anna Marie feel as
though they were with her and that she was testifying for them Anna Marie described some of the most
frightening and intimate moments of her life she spoke of being beaten and stabbed by
Rose of being raped at eight years old and a later forced into sex work how Fred impregnated her when she was
15. her testimony was regarded as the most dramatic of all and left to many observers in tears
Rose West struggled to listen as Anna Marie described several times when I said Rosa's name or
told of what she had done to me I faced her I faced my fear and she turned away and
could not return my gaze Janet Leach was a voluntary social worker who had attended every interview
between detectives and Fred West with concerns about Fred's mental health it was Janet's job to ensure that he was
of sound mind to participate in questioning this way he couldn't later allege that
police had taken advantage of him Janet spent more than 400 hours with Fred during which they built a trusting
rapport Fred sometimes called Janet from prison to speak privately due to her job and Janet was legally
bound to secrecy the stories Fred told Janet contradicted everything he said during police
interviews he told Janet he was protecting Rose and that the victims found at Cromwell
Street were quote Rose's mistakes Fred said hay and Rose had made a pact that he'd take the blame for everything
when Fred learned that Rose had been charged with murder he became distressed he told Jenna that quote
the police were getting too close and that they would find out that Rose was involved
Fred confided that he wasn't good at sex and Rose was very demanding so he did anything for her
according to Janet Fred confirmed that he was in prison when Charmaine West was killed
he also asserted that Rose was the one who murdered and mutilated Shirley Robinson including removing Shirley's
fetus from her body Fred eventually accused Rose of committing all the killings he claimed she told him where the bodies
were buried but she didn't commit them alone Fred allegedly told Janet that other
people were involved in the murders including Rose's Father Bill lets this was a significant accusation
Fred had told stories about Rose and Bill being in a long-term incestuous relationship
he claimed he had caught them in bed together and that he joined them on at least one occasion
Rose never accused her father of such abuse but after she and Fred raped Anna Marie West Rose told her quote
everybody does it to every girl it's a father's job Janna Leach had never encountered anyone
like Fred West he called her his only friend knowing they were speaking in confidence
Janet didn't know what to do with the information he gave her it put her under severe mental strain
she couldn't sleep at night haunted by nightmares about the girls in the cellar but Janet felt she had a duty to keep
talking to Fred otherwise the families of his victims would never know the truth about what happened to their loved
ones Janet subsequently had a stroke she believed her work with Fred was the cause
however now that Fred was dead Janet was permitted to testify about their conversations in court
the defense team put it to Janet that Fred might have just been using her she replied
I suppose he was on the stand Janet suddenly turned pale and was unable to move or speak
she'd suffered another stroke a week later she was deemed well enough to return to court
Janet looked extremely unwell and anxious as she was brought in Via a wheelchair
she made another shocking admission [Music] Fred West had claimed that there were at
least 20 more victims and maintained that other people were involved he said that some victims had been
killed elsewhere and brought to Cromwell Strait others he buried on farmland both the prosecution and the defense
agreed that a lot of what Fred allegedly told Janet Leach was fiction from their joint perspective there were
many reasons Fred might concoct such stories from shifting blame onto other people to testing Janet's loyalty to
save she sold his stories to the papers there was also the possibility that Fred
was lonely and hoped that by keeping Janet intrigued she would continue to see him
[Music] after three weeks of Court proceedings it was the defense's turn to present
their case calling the prosecution's evidence undoubtedly harrowing But ultimately
irrelevant the defense insisted that Rose West knew nothing about the crimes committed at Cromwell Street
they acknowledged it was normal to assume that a wife would be aware of her husband's activities in their home but
that in this case quote number 25 Cromwell Street was not your typical Suburban household with 2.4
children it was a refuge of the Flotsam and Jetsam of Modern Life they claimed Rose was as much a victim
of her husband as anybody else anyone who professed otherwise were exaggerating so they could sell their
stories to the media at a higher price no one expected Rose West to take the stand
being cross-examined presented to greater risk besides she had said nothing but no comment or I'm innocent
since her arrest but in a surprising twist Rose's Council announced that the court would soon hear
Rose's own version of what happened at 25 Cromwell Street she had insisted on testifying because
in the words of her solicitor this was her family and this was her home Rose West slowly made her way to the
witness box her voice faltered as she took the oath and she misspoke when providing her age
she then sat down to face the jury describing how she met Fred West Rose said he promised me the world because I was
so young I fell for his lies he promised to care for me and to love me and I fell for it
Rose became emotional when speaking of her children when asked about her feelings for
Heather Rose said she loved her very very very much her answers seemed well rehearsed and
she spoke delicately and politely but sometimes Rose's familiar nastiness peeked through
she chuckled to herself after making a derogatory comment about Linda goff's appearance and upon calling Shirley
Robinson a silly flittering girl speaking of her sexual exploits Rose repeatedly said that everything she did
was 100 consensual she claimed to derive no thrill from forcing others to do things against
their will she blamed Fred for manipulating her into seducing Caroline Owens when she realized Caroline wasn't a
willing participant Rose claimed she stopped she also stated that she and Fred LED
Separate Lives he often locked himself in the cellar where Rose believed he was working on
his DIY projects Rose was asked how she felt when she saw Fred for the first time after he
confessed to killing their daughter Heather Rose said I hated him I didn't see the man that I had known
all those years he was just a walking figure of evil I know it might sound Daft but I saw him
with horns and complete with the satanic grin because he never looked sorry for what he did or anything
he just used a grin like it was all a joke or something Rose had gone from avoiding answering
questions to providing dramatic and wordy speeches in an effort to rein her in her Council
kept asking questions that required a single word answer but Rose rambled on when asked if she played any part in the
deaths of her 10 alleged victims a simple no was expected Rose instead replied no I had no part in Murder whatsoever I
am not a murderer I can't take somebody's life away from them I wouldn't want it done to me and I
wouldn't do it to anybody else especially my own daughter she continued on oblivious that she was
actually damaging her own case I just feel like such a fool I just don't know how he managed it to actually
get those poor girls in and out of the house I don't know how he did it without being seen
the houses were always full around our house anybody could have seen him at any time
asked if she suspected Fred was a murderer Rose answered not for one minute if I had thought that
I could never have lived with a murderer I would never have known when it was my
turn I would have been too scared I would have had to have gone to the police I couldn't have lived like that
[Music] during cross-examination Rose stumbled over her answers much to the amusement
of the press gallery when given a difficult question she replied with either I don't remember or
I don't recall Rose blamed everybody but herself for what happened she denied that she and Fred had
contrived a story in which he would take all the blame every so often she seemed to
deliberately start crying to give herself time to gather her thoughts she referred to her husband as Fred West
as though trying to diminish any emotional connection the pair once had after three days of questioning Rose
left the witness box the defense relied on Witnesses who presented Fred as capable of abducting
and killing women on his own at Rose's request extracts from four taped police interviews with Fred were
played she wanted the court to hear him protest her innocence Rose sat in the dark with her head down
as the courtroom listened in shocked silence to Fred's descriptions of his lurid sexual fantasies the Vivid and
dispassionate details of his murders and his constant reminders that Rose knew nothing about any of it
however his stories kept changing and were full of contradictions and outright lies
all the tapes did was highlight that Fred was a pathological liar and therefore his insistence on Rosa's
innocence couldn't be trusted the defense maintained that there still wasn't a shred of direct evidence that
Rose killed anyone and they conceded that as a woman and mother Rose might have fallen below the
standards required they also accepted that the jury might not like her or believe everything she
said but none of this meant she was a killer the defense called Fred West a depraved
and morally bankrupt man by murdering Anna mcfaul he demonstrated that he was willing to kill before he
even met Rose in closing arguments the prosecution called Fred and Rose perfect companions
the experiences of all the couple survivors were the templates for the murders that followed
they demonstrated how Fred and Rose West sadistically abused young girls and women for their joint pleasure
and by taking his own life Fred had given Rose the greatest gift of all he couldn't be cross-examined and to thus
prove her involvement the jury was released to deliberate at mid-morning on November 20.
by 3 pm the following day they had reached a unanimous verdict on two of the ten charges count one and count ten
for count one the murder of Charmaine West Rose was found guilty on count 10 the murder of Heather West
Rose was also found guilty Rose closed her eyes for a brief moment she was helped out of the dark and for
the first time real tears streamed it down her face an hour and a half later the jury
reached another verdict for the murder of Shirley Robinson Rose was guilty just before midday the following day the
jury returned seven more guilty verdicts for the remaining victims Linda Goff Carol Cooper Lucy Partington
Therese siegenthala Shirley Hubbard Juanita Mott and Alison Chambers the judge ordered
[Music] stand up Rosemary West on each of the ten counts of murder of which you have been unanimously
convicted by the jury this sentence is one of a life imprisonment you will never be released
[Music] Rose was let out of the Court her face Stone Cold in the year 2000 Rose submitted an
application to appeal her conviction before changing her mind and withdrawing it
[Music] as of February 2023 Rose West is still alive she is in her late 60s since still in
prison where she is known by the nickname Auntie Rose due to her age and a love of knitting
Rose West is considered the most hated woman in Britain yet she has amassed a cult-like following from strangers and
supporters they continue to swamp her with letters especially on Mother's Day Rose keeps herself busy by sewing
dresses she is also known for her baking which she uses to seduce other inmates she has been overheard talking to Fred
in her cell at night and singing a song to herself called when will I see you again
she is said to have found religion and claims God has forgiven her and will be sending her to heaven
according to sources close to her Rose West maintains hope of being a free woman again someday
to this day speculation remains that Fred and Rose West may have more victims than those identified
rumor has it that Fred clanged anywhere from 18 to 60. few Place Credence in the figures Fred
provided as he couldn't remember exactly how many children he had or even their names
regardless some Gloucester locals have looked at the foundations and other structural projects Fred completed for
them over the years and can't help but Wonder [Music] of the hundreds of young women known to
have visited 25 Cromwell Street when the wests lived to their all were found safe
except one an American woman named Donna Moore was the only person who couldn't be located
during the West inquiry in 1994 there was one other name that kept cropping up in Fred's private conversations with the
Janet Leach he said one of his victims was a 15 year old waitress named Mary Bast home
Mary had vanished from a bus stop on gloucester's Bristol Road in January 1968. according to Fred's son Stephen Fred
also told him he'd killed Mary he'd bragged that he would only tell the police about it when he was good and
ready if this was true Mary best home may very well have been Fred West's first victim
there were several connections between the pair Mary was friends with Anna McFall
the bus stop Mary vanished from was a short drive from Cromwell Street one witness save and claimed to have
seen Mary in Fred's Car Fred was also a customer at the cafe where Mary worked later he did construction work on the
building where the cafe was located at one stage police drove Fred to all of the locations relevant to Mary's case in
the hopes he'd be compelled to open up but he seemed unaffected and there wasn't enough evidence to charge him
the investigation remained open for 53 years it was widely speculated that Mary had
been buried under the cellar of the cafe where she worked in 2021 a television documentary team
uncovered blue material in the cellar Mary was wearing a blue coat when she went missing
a cadaver dog was led down into the space where it had a reaction an excavation commenced with a police
spokesperson stating we hope this is a chance to finally get closure for Mary but the Dig failed to uncover Mary
bastomes remains or any other evidence the suspicious blue material had in fact come from a broken pipe
despite this result police staunchly believe that Fred West was involved in Mary's disappearance
May and Stephen West wholeheartedly supported their parents following their arrest
they stayed with rose while she was living in a safe house visited them both in prison and stood by Rose during her
trial while they comprehended their father's guilt May and Stephen steadfastly believed in Rose's innocence
but when they heard their father's confession tapes during Rose's trial they were transported back to what may
described as another world a past life suddenly she and Steven recalled many instances of physical emotional and
mental abuse they'd endured at their parents hands for 20 years they'd suppressed these
memories as a coping mechanism May revealed that after Anna Marie ran away from home Fred set his sights on
her and Heather he made sexual comments about their developing bodies watched them shower
and barged in on them while they were getting dressed Fred was prone to groping his daughters
at any time in any area of the house sometimes he wrestled them to the floor to forcibly assault them
when they fought back against his sexual abuse he accused both Heather and may of
being lesbians once Fred was so frustrated by May's refusal to give in to him that he threw
a vacuum cleaner at her which splintered her bedroom door the Two Sisters would stand watch for
each other hoping that by working as a team they could prevent their father's sexual assaults
however Fred ultimately got his way and the abuse was constant this prompted Heather to try and Escape
by seeking work in a Seaside Town far away from her father when the job fell through it led to
Heather's absolute devastation and ultimately her death May wrote to her mother in prison
seeking straight answers about her recovered memories Rose wrote back claiming she would tell
May everything she wanted to know May subsequently visited Rose in prison and asked about the one subject that
troubled her most of all Heather after this Rose stopped writing to May and removed her from her visitors list
Stephen West recalled that as his 17th birthday approached his father winked at him and announced that Stephen would
soon be ready to sleep with rose Stephen was mortified his father and mother just laughed
Stephen also recalled that his parents held parties where guests openly had sex throughout the house
during one such party Heather May and Stephen were restrained while these activities carried on around them
when Heather fell asleep Rose barked at her wake up you stupid [ __ ] she then had a male party go a rape
Heather while she herself fondled Stephen Fred was there too at one stage he urinated on both Heather
and Stephen described the ordeal as the most degrading night he and may have since cut all contact
with their mother many of the West children have altered the spelling of their names or changed
them altogether in an effort to distance themselves from their family's notoriety
in another shocking twist several other long-time family friends and relatives were also implicated in the abuse of the
West children other than Rose the person Fred was closest to was his brother John
Anna Marie West alleged that her uncle John raped her on more than 300 occasions
Fred and Rose were aware of this and allowed it to happen John West was charged and pleaded not
guilty in court while the jury retired to consider their verdict John ended his life in the same
manner as his older brother during the heart of Fred West's known offending John Wester visited 25
Cromwell Street every other day some believe John must have had some awareness of what Fred was up to Behind
Closed the doors Orr had possibly been involved the West inquiry ran almost a million
pounds over budget at its peak 84 police officers were assigned to the case they questioned more than one thousand
people and pursued 250 actions or lines of inquiry others accused for crimes against the
West children were found guilty and sentenced to several years in prison as a direct result of the West Case 110
girls who'd been reported missing were found since then new procedures have been
introduced in an attempt to prevent missing or vulnerable individuals from slipping through the cracks
praise has been given to all of the people involved in securing Rose West's guilty verdict from the case detectives
to the survivors who bravely testified detective Constable Hazel Savage was recognized and honored for her
determination to find Heather West which ultimately unraveled Fred and Rose's House of Horrors
to this day the West inquiry remains a helpful Source on how to manage criminal cases of that magnitude
it forms part of detective training courses and has been a resource in investigations across Europe and as far
away as Australia Anna Marie May and Stephen West have all written poignant those shocking memoirs
about their lives growing up inside 25 Cromwell Street Anna Marie hoped that by speaking out
and letting others know the warning signs of abuse she might be able to help other children
She Wrote I have lived all my life in the shadows now I have been forced into the
spotlight and as the Shadows fade I can see light at the end of the tunnel and I will reach it
opinion was divided as to what should happen to 25 Cromwell Street the house became a Macabre tourist
attraction in Gloucester while many locals were appalled by its presence others recognized its historic
importance and suggested it be converted into something to commemorate the girls
and women killed there the more commercial-minded suggested that gloucester's economy could be
boosted if the house became a wax work Museum but the victim's families didn't want
any of this like the police they wanted the city council to buy the property and to knock
it down then they would determine what to do with the space left behind the council agreed to this plan and
purchased 25 Cromwell Street along with the attached property at number 23. for around 120 000 pounds
it was hoped that The house's destruction would have a cleansing effect on the city
the demolition began in October 1996 and like everything else associated with the
West's it was a media spectacle footage of the demolition was broadcast live on television
a crushing machine did the bulk of the work before the rubble Left Behind was reduced to dust
Timber and other flammable material was placed in an incinerator the seller was backfilled with the
bricks from the walls and sealed with quick drying cement then began the long consultation process
over what should become of the site a commemorative plaque and Memorial Garden were considered But ultimately
rejected no one wanted a permanent reminder of the atrocities that had happened there
the decision was made to turn this side into a walkway connecting Cromwell Street and Saint Michael's Square to the
north block Paving was laid upon the concrete that encased number 25's seller void
small trees were planted on the sides of the path which was illuminated by glossy
black street lamps [Music] shortly before their childhood home was destroyed several of the West children
went for one final visit Anna Marie West was permitted to enter the cellar where her ordeal began
May and Stephen left Flowers by the front gate along with a card that featured a poem for their sister Heather
it read in part [Music] the sad memories of this house will go with it but the memories of you will always stay
[Music] [Music] on a chilly night in 1991 a group of teenagers gathered in their usual
hangout a Barren stretch of desert next to a busy highway near Bakersfield California
a dismal spot littered with trash and shell casings by Nightfall it turned into a sort of Lovers Lane where high
school kids drank and smoked when two boys left their group and headed into the darkness They Came Upon
a horrific scene the body of a young woman murdered just hours before she had no enemies besides girls at school
teenage stuff not any kind of trouble that someone would murder her this 1991 murder made news headlines for years as
it shocked and divided a quiet working-class community of course I knew about Maria's case everyone in
Bakersfield knows about Maria's case people were just they were glued to their TV sets and read the paper every
day there was a lot of speculation in Alaska that maybe he was not the all-around
athlete that people thought he might be when he lied about being her boyfriend I
feel like he has no Justice in a twisted and controversial case that captivated many but what if the real
killer were yet to be discovered because he warned me that he told me that the other detected that he was here when he
wasn't really here if you ask the sheriff's department and if you asked the prosecutor's office
they would say yeah we solved it it's just unfortunate how things ended up in this series we will hear brand new
Clues interview people that have never spoken publicly before and discover family secrets that shed light on who
may have killed Maria Rodriguez and why I kind of want all of our families hidden secrets and all of the dark past
I want it to come out to light I'm Octavia McHenry for case File presents and this is in the shadows the story of
Maria Rodriguez

Case 235: House of Horrors (Part 3)

*** Warning: This case involves child victims *** [Part 3 of 3] More disturbing secrets are unearthed at 25 Cromwell Street as the investigation into Fred West leads detectives into the remote English countryside. Fred steadfastly asserts that his wife knew nothing of his crimes, and tight-lipped Rose maintains her innocence...

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Milly Raso Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn

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RESOURCES

For all credits and sources, please visit https://casefilepodcast.com/case-235-house-of-horrors-part-3 #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #casefilepodcast

Brief Summary

Fred and Rose West committed horrific murders, including their daughter Heather, and faced a complex investigation and trial.

Key points

Rose West's Interrogation. In a tense police interrogation, Rose West reacts to her husband's confession about their daughter.
Discovery of Remains. Police uncover the remains of multiple victims in the West's home, revealing a horrifying truth.
The Disappearance of Lucy Partington. Lucy Partington vanished after a night out, sparking a massive search effort.
Juanita Mart's Tragic Fate. Juanita Mart went missing while hitchhiking, her family unaware of her grim fate.
The Discovery of Remains. Excavations at Fred West's properties revealed the remains of several victims, including Juanita and Carol.
Discovery of Anna McFall. Skeletal remains of Anna McFall were found, revealing a gruesome fate.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Fred's a dead man if I ever get my hands on him.

Rose's threat after learning about Fred's confession.

3:15WatchFeb 18, 2023

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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