Edna and Alice Rowley were stepsisters, aged seventy-seven and eighty-seven respectively, and had spent more than fifty years running a corner shop on Greswolde Road in Sparkhill, Birmingham, England. They lived in a flat adjoining the shop and were a beloved fixture in the neighborhood. Two days before Christmas of 1987, a neighbor became concerned … More Alice and Edna Rowley

Thirty-six-year-old Helen Gormley was a teacher who lived in Towcester, Northamptonshire, England with her husband and their six-year-old daughter. On October 30th, 1986, Helen’s husband left the family home at twelve-thirty p.m. to take their daughter to the movies in Milton Keynes. Helen stayed behind at their residence, but when he brought the child home … More Helen Gormley

Twenty-six-year-old Sandra Court was a popular, friendly young woman who had been working as an insurance clerk at Ambassador Life in Bournemouth, England. She had just announced that she would be leaving that job, however, and taking a position as a nanny in Mallorca, Spain, a life change she was tremendously excited about. On May … More Sandra Court

Fifty-eight-year-old widow Margaret Greenwood suffered from polio, and lived alone in a house in Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear, England. On Bonfire Night—November 5th, 1985—it’s believed that two young men came to her door pretending to be collecting money for the celebration, a tradition known as “a penny for the Guy.” However, these individuals then proceeded … More Margaret Greenwood

Thirty-two-year-old Josephine Mary Budworth, who usually went by her middle name, lived with her husband Terry and their six children in a house on Hindley Walk in Speke, Liverpool, England. She was also twenty weeks pregnant with another child. In the early morning hours of April 22nd, 1985, Terry was out, and the rest of … More Mary, Mark, and Leslie Budworth

Eighteen-year-old Natalie McLean lived with her mother and younger brother in Wythenshawe, south Manchester, England. As she had been having trouble with other girls in the neighborhood bullying her, Natalie made the decision to move out on her own in early 1995. She stayed in a homeless shelter for a brief time, but eventually got … More Natalie McLean

Joan Macan was an extraordinary woman, having served as a French resistance fighter during World War II and helping more than eighty Allied airmen escape across enemy lines. Later on, she became quite well-known as a dog breeder as well as a judge for the prestigious Crufts dog show. Thursday, May 5th, 1988 was the … More Joan Macan

Twenty-three-year-old John Haselden worked as a self-employed car dealer and lived alone in a residence on Borron Road, Newton-Le-Willows, Merseyside, England. According to friends and family, he was a fun-loving, larger than life chap, and though he had a prior conviction for handling stolen goods, he didn’t appear to have any other links to the … More John Haselden

Forty-five-year-old Anthony Littler was an executive officer at Customs and Excise in East Finchley, London. He was described as a gentle man with no enemies, who lived alone and largely kept to himself. At a little past midnight on May 1st, 1984, Anthony was returning home from a night out in the city center and … More Anthony Littler

Thirty-three-year-old Mark Yendell was a married father of one who worked as a British Rail steward at Bristol Temple Meads station. Although he and his wife Sue had separated for a year, they had recently reconciled and were planning to buy a house together. On Monday, September 10th, 1984, Mark left work at around nine-thirty … More Mark Yendell