The Moors Murders stand as one of the most chilling and psychologically disturbing cases in British criminal history. Committed by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley between July 1963 and October 1965 in and around Manchester, the murder of five children shocked the nation and introduced a new kind of calculated, sadistic evil into the public consciousness.
The crime spree, which involved the sexual assault and murder of young victims and the clandestine burial of their bodies on the desolate Saddleworth Moor, earned the perpetrators the notorious title of the “Moors Murderers.”
Ian Brady and Myra Hindley met in 1961 when Hindley took a job at the company where Brady was working in Manchester. Brady, a Scottish man with a growing obsession with sadistic sex and a library full of Nazi literature, quickly captivated the shy and infatuated Myra Hindley. Their relationship evolved into a shared, monstrous fantasy, with Brady as the instigator and Hindley becoming his willing, and later, active accomplice. The partnership was key to the abduction and murder of their victims. While Brady was the principal aggressor, Hindley, who learned to drive, often used her presence to lure children into their car, offering a lift or asking for help to find a lost glove. Her role was pivotal, enabling the abductions and giving her a permanent place in the British narrative of ultimate female evil.
The couple’s victims were five children and teenagers, aged between 10 and 17:
| Victim | Age | Date Of Disapearance / Murder | Status Of Remains |
| Pauline Reade | 16 | July 12, 1963 | Discovered on Saddleworth Moor in 1987. |
| John Kilbride | 12 | November 23, 1963 | Discovered on Saddleworth Moor in October 1965. |
| Keith Bennett | 12 | June 16, 1964 | His body has never been found. |
| Lesley Ann Downey | 10 | December 26, 1964 | Discovered on Saddleworth Moor in October 1965. |
| Edward Evans | 17 | October 6, 1965 | Murdered at the killers’ house; led to their arrest. |
Most of the victims were sexually assaulted, and at least four of the bodies were buried in shallow graves on the bleak, windswept terrain of Saddleworth Moor, which gave the crimes their name.
The murders began in 1963 with the abduction and murder of Pauline Reade and John Kilbride. The pair followed a similar pattern with Keith Bennett and Lesley Ann Downey, luring them from the street or a funfair before taking them to the moors.
The entire horrifying sequence of events came to an end on October 6, 1965, with the murder of Edward Evans. This crime took place in the couple’s home and was witnessed by Hindley’s 17-year-old brother-in-law, David Smith. Smith, fearing for his own life, helped clean the scene, but was so horrified that he went to the police early the next morning.
The subsequent police investigation led to Brady’s arrest and the search of their home. What police discovered was damning evidence:
- Edward Evans’ body was found wrapped in a plastic sheet in a spare bedroom.
- Luggage tickets led police to two suitcases at Manchester Central Station, which contained compromising photographs and an audiotape of 10-year-old Lesley Ann Downey pleading for her life.
- Other photographs showed Hindley and Brady in the desolate area of Saddleworth Moor, which then became the focus of a grim search.
- The search soon uncovered the bodies of John Kilbride and Lesley Ann Downey.
The trial of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in 1966 gripped the British public. The depravity of the crimes, especially the murder of children, set them apart from earlier serial killers.
- 1966 Convictions: At the time, they were tried and convicted for the murders of John Kilbride, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward Evans. They received life sentences.
- Later Confessions: For many years, both maintained their innocence in the disappearance of Pauline Reade and Keith Bennett. However, the case was reopened in 1985 after Brady reportedly confessed to the two additional murders. In 1987, Hindley finally stopped claiming her innocence and confessed to all five murders. The confessions led to them being taken back to Saddleworth Moor separately to help in the search. During this time, the remains of Pauline Reade were recovered.
The body of Keith Bennett is the only one of the five known victims that has never been found. Despite years of repeated searches of Saddleworth Moor, the vast and ever-changing landscape has successfully guarded Brady’s final secret. Brady, diagnosed as a psychopath and confined to a high-security psychiatric hospital, repeatedly refused to disclose the exact location of the grave, taking the secret with him to his death in 2017.
Keith’s mother, Winnie Johnson, campaigned tirelessly for decades to find her son’s resting place, sadly dying in 2012 without ever achieving her wish to give him a proper burial. The case concerning Keith’s whereabouts remains open.
The Moors Murders left an indelible mark on British society and criminal history.
- The Face of Evil: Myra Hindley’s cold, peroxide-blonde mugshot became the infamous public face of the crimes, earning her the press moniker of “the most evil woman in Britain.” She became a national symbol of depravity and received a “whole life tariff,” meaning she would never be released. She died in prison in 2002.
- Manipulation and Remorse: While Hindley spent her later years attempting to portray herself as a reformed character and appealing her sentence, she remained manipulative to the last. Brady, who was confined to Ashworth Hospital, made it clear he wished never to be released. Their constant refusal to provide closure to the families, particularly concerning Keith Bennett, solidified their image as two of Britain’s most heartless criminals.
- A “Haunting” Narrative: The story of the Moors Murders continues to resonate in British culture, forever intertwining the image of violent loss and the haunting, rugged landscape of Saddleworth Moor.
