Description

Hello, Wyrdo's.

This is a special, true-crime-focused episode of Wyrd Wessex, where Andy and Craig step away from the supernatural to delve into two of the most chilling cases to come out of the area.

⚠️ Quick warning, this episode does cover some very disturbing and violent material, so viewer and listener discretion is advised.

The Hungerford Massacre

The hosts begin with a harrowing account of the Hungerford Massacre on August 19, 1987. They discuss the perpetrator, Michael Ryan, a young loner who was known to make up stories about himself. Ryan legally owned a collection of powerful firearms, which he first used to murder Susan Godfrey in Savernake Forest.

The podcast details the tragic timeline as Ryan returned to his hometown and began a killing spree that lasted over six hours. Andy and Craig mention that Ryan's car failing to start may have changed his initial plans to go on the run. The spree ended when he barricaded himself in a school and took his own life. The hosts note that this horrific event, and the subsequent Dunblane tragedy, led to the strict gun laws in the UK today.

Christopher Halliwell: A Killer in Plain Sight

Next, Craig and Andy turn to the case of Christopher Halliwell, a taxi driver from Craig's hometown of Swindon.

• The Disappearance: The story begins with the disappearance of 22-year-old Sian O'Callaghan in 2011 after a night out. Her phone's last signal was traced to the Savernake Forest area.
• The Confession and Legal Controversy: Police surveillance led them to Halliwell, who confessed to Sian's murder and led them to her body. He then led them to a second victim, Becky Godden Edwards, who had been missing since 2007. However, due to a technicality in which the detective, Stephen Fulcher, breached legal guidelines, the confession was deemed inadmissible, and Halliwell was only initially charged with Sian's murder.
• Evidence of a Serial Killer: After Becky's mother's persistence, more evidence was gathered, and Halliwell was eventually convicted of Becky's murder with a rare whole-life order. The hosts reveal that police also found other women's clothing buried, suggesting he is likely a prolific serial killer. They also discuss the bizarre coincidence of multiple women, including Linda Razzell and Claudia Lawrence, disappearing on March 19th, a date that holds significance to Halliwell.

This episode is a somber look at two very different, but equally chilling, crimes. Andy and Craig will return to their usual folklore and paranormal topics, promising something "a little bit lighter" for the next episode, even if it is the exorcism of Michael Taylor.

Stay Wyrd!

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www.wyrdwessex.co.uk

Written by Craig Brooks and hosted by Craig Brooks and Andy Stevens

Edited by Craig Brooks

Intro music by Leonell Cassio - The Paranormal Is Real (ft. Carrie)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.