crimesandcuriosities: John Reginald Christie was an English serial killer and necrophile who murdere
crimesandcuriosities: John Reginald Christie was an English serial killer and necrophile who murdered at least 8 women at his infamous London home, Rillington Place, during the 1940s and 1950s. After he moved out in March 1953, the bodies of 3 victims were discovered in a concealed alcove in the kitchen. Following this, two more bodies were unearthed in the garden, and his own wife’s body was found underneath the floorboards inside the building.Two of Christie’s victims, Beryl Evans and her young daughter Geraldine, were fellow tenants at Rillington Place. This aspect of the case triggered huge public outcry, as Beryl’s husband was apprehended for the murders of his wife and child and hanged for the crimes in 1950; for which Christie acted as a significant witness for the prosecution. Although Christie later admitted to being responsible for Beryl’s death, he refuted any affiliation with her young daughter’s murder. However, it has since been determined that he is very likely to have killed her also. It was later ruled that police incompetence in handling the case led to an innocent man’s execution, and also enabled Christie to continue on and murder four more women. Ultimately, the searching of Rillington Place was considered inadequate, and the validity of selected witnesses was deemed insufficient.In addition to Beryl and Geraldine Evans, John Christie also targeted a 6-month pregnant woman. His common method of killing was to strangle his victims after they fell unconscious following exposure to toxic gases, and some he sexually assaulted afterwards as they lay unresponsive.Timothy Evans was granted a posthumous pardon in 1966, and this case contributed significantly to the abolishment of capital punishment for murder in the United Kingdom. Rillington Place now no longer exists, having been demolished in the 1970s to make room for new housing. -- source link