Just a few weeks after the outbreak of the Second World War, 4 year old Joyce Cox was found murdered near a disused railway station in Cardiff, South Wales. Joyce had disappeared on her usual lunch time walk home from school on the 28th September 1939. Her body was found the following day. For decades the case has been shrouded in mystery, and there has been talk of a cover up, but in 2017 the police finally broke their silence on the case. 

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Sources

British Newspaper Archive (subscription required)

Western Mail

29/09/1939

30/09/1939

04/10/1939

05/10/1939

11/10/1939

31/10/1939

Gloucester Citizen 

02/10/1939

Lincolnshire Echo

02/10/1939

Belfast News Letter

03/10/1939

Dundee Courier 

02/10/1939

Weekly Dispatch (London)

01/10/1939

Sunday Mirror 

01/10/1939

Sunday Post 

01/10/1939

Derby Daily Telegraph 

30/09/1939

Shields Daily News

30/09/1939

Hull Daily News 

30/09/1939

http://www.unsolved-murders.co.uk/murder-content.php?key=1108&termRef=Joyce%20Cox

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/prime-suspect-1939-murder-joyce-13673649.amp

www.express.co.uk/news/uk/584233/Police-involvement-investigation-murder-four-year-old/a

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3057124/amp/Family-girl-4-murdered-1939-accuse-Met-Police-cover-force-refuses-release-files-investigation-2040-unfair-mystery-suspect.html

https://www.scienceabc.com/humans/what-is-shock-definition-causes-symptoms-different-types.html

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The school bus dropped Muriel Drinkwater at her usual stop, leaving her to walk the last part of her journey home to the family farm in Penllergaer,  West Wales. The 12 year old loved to sing and there was a skip in her step as she started on the winding path through the forest. Just before she entered the woods she looked up to see the farm in the distance. Her mother was in the kitchen and they exchanged a wave before Muriel disappeared from view. Muriel never made it home and her body was found the next day in the undergrowth. She had been assaulted and shot twice in the chest.  No arrests were ever made but evidence unearthed in 2020 has produced the name of a new prime suspect.

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Sources 

• www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/unsolved-murder-12-year-old-19232081.amp
• www.mamamia.com.au/muriel-drinkwater-murder/amp/
• www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08wg6fq
• www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-47961404.amp
• http://www.unsolved-murders.co.uk/murder-content.php?key=193&termRef=Muriel%20Joan%20Drinkwater
• www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/author-names-new-killer-drinkwater-2220319.amp
• www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/amp/i-know-who-killed-girl-158735/
• www.alamy.com/stock-photo-sheila-martin-murder-eleven-year-old-sheila-martin-found-murdered-83441942.html
• www.unsolved-murders.co.uk/murder-content.php?key=1219&termRef=Sheila%20Martin
• www.unsolvedcasebook.com/tag/sheila-martin/
• www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bristol-odeon-cinema-murder-remains-5175163.amp
• www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/unsolved-murder-12-year-old-15290561
• http://www.unsolved-murders.co.uk/murder-content.php?key=1680&termRef=Norma%20Mary%20Dale
• https://www.unsolvedcasebook.com/muriel-drinkwater-the-little-red-riding-hood-murder/
• https://www.theministryofhistory.co.uk/short-histories-blog/hammersmith-jack-the-stripper-murders

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Three siblings: Michael, 29, Norah, 27, and Ellen, 18, set off for a Boxing Day dance at the small Queensland town of Gatton. The year was 1898 and their mode of transport was a sulky, a small horse-drawn carriage. They arrived at the hall to find the dance cancelled and, feeling disappointed, began to make their way back to the family farm. The following morning, when they failed to return, their brother-in-law was sent to search for them. He found the three siblings in a small wooded paddock a little way from the road, witnessing a scene like none other throughout the history of Australian crime.

For list of sources please see the Persons Unknown Podcast Facebook page
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April chatted with some friends as she fussed over Judy the Donkey in a field in the hamlet of Metton, Norfolk. It was a couple of days after Easter 1969 and the 13 year old had stopped at “Donkey Field” on her way to her eldest sister’s house in the neighbouring village of Roughton.  After a short time April was back on her bicycle and on her way. April never made it to her sister’s house and she has not been seen or heard from since that day. 

Sources 

• British newspaper archive (subscription required)

Coventry Evening Telegraph 10/04/69
Sunday Mirror 13/04/69 
Newcastle Journal 16/04/69
Daily Mirror 10/06/69
Birmingham Post -5/01/79
Daily Mirror 02/04/80
Sandwell Evening Mail 20/05/94
Newcastle Journal 20/05/94
Newcastle Journal 11/06/94
Newcastle Journal 17/06/94
Dundee Courier 16/04/97
Aberdeen press and Journal 20/05/94

• https://www.northnorfolknews.co.uk/news/photograph-could-be-key-to-solving-case-of-missing-april-1620788
• https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/crime/new-calls-after-april-fabb-s-50th-anniversary-appeal-1383474
• https://www.truecrimelibrary.com/crimearticle/april-fabb/
• https://www.norfolk.police.uk/news/cold-cases/april-fabb
• http://davidhardy.bravesites.com/aprilfabb
• https://www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk/news/last-chance-to-find-boy-who-disappeared-40-years-ago-276596
• https://www.norfolk.police.uk/news/cold-cases/steven-newing
• https://www.norfolk.police.uk/news/cold-cases/susan-long
• https://genettetate.devonlive.co.uk
• www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/robert-black-child-killer-whose-19820140.amp
• www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-15464440.amp
• www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/serial-killer-peter-tobin-brags-23611118.amp
• https://www.crimeandinvestigation.co.uk/crime-files/peter-tobin
• www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/scottish-news/6894267/peter-tobin-serial-killer-confession-another-victim/amp/
• www.mirror.co.uk/news/real-life-stories/who-peter-tobin-murder-remembering-12308912.

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Two brothers  travelled  to the Clocaenog forest in North Wales in 2015 to watch  a stage of the Wales rally GB event. Although it was well into November they decided to brave the wintry Welsh weather and wild camp in the forest rather than stay in a hotel or hostel. On their first night, whilst searching for firewood amongst the trees, they stumbled upon some bones that  were very obviously human remains. So began the mystery of the Clocaenog  Forest Man.

Sources

• https://locate.international/unidentified-bodies/clocaenog-forest-man/
• www.herald.wales/crime/clocaenog-forest-man-did-you-know-him/amp/
• www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-46243092.amp
• www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/killer-peter-moore-claims-know-12697411.amp
• www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/twisted-crimes-north-wales-serial-15076351.amp
• www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/peter-moore-serial-killer-book-18950063.am
• www.herald.wales/crime/clocaenog-forest-man-did-you-know-him/amp/
•  https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/f6snei/clocaenog_forest_man/?utm_source=amp&utm_medium=&utm_content=comments_view_all
•  https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/uk-cerrigydrudion-wales-male-skeletal-54-in-
• woods-head-trauma-nov15.296179/
• www.herald.wales/crime/clocaenog-forest-man-did-you-know-him/amp/ 
•  https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/227839.pdf
  
  

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On Halloween 1966, Joseph Bates awoke early in the morning to find that his 18 year old  daughter, Cheri Jo, had not slept in her bed the previous night.  Cheri had been studying in the River City College library and it was completely out of character for her to stay out all night, so Joseph contacted the police.  A short time later Cheri’s body was found face-down in an alleyway on the college campus. There was evidence of a struggle and Cheri had been stabbed multiple times. The local police had no unsolved murders on their books and expected to solve this terrible crime quickly and efficiently. Unfortunately, the case proved far from straightforward. 

Sources

• www.pe.com/2013/11/30/riverside-co-ed8217s-1966-slaying-still-a-mystery/amp/
• www.al.com/news/2020/10/did-the-zodiac-killer-murder-an-alabama-couple-in-1964.html%3foutputType=amp
• https://www.zodiacciphers.com/zodiac-news/the-cheri-jo-bates-autopsy-findings-part-three
• www.pe.com/2013/11/30/riverside-co-ed8217s-1966-slaying-still-a-mystery/amp/
• https://viewpointsonline.org/2013/11/05/its-time-to-remember-cheri-jo/?amp=1
• https://zodiacrevisited.com/cheri-jo-bates-evidence-analysis/
• www.sfweekly.com/news/yesterdays-crimes-news/yesterdays-crimes-dna-profiles-and-the-murderers-who-might-be-zodiac/amp/
• https://www.zodiacciphers.com/zodiac-news/cheri-jo-bates-the-timeline
• https://www.zodiacciphers.com/zodiac-news/cheri-jo-bates-the-complete-eyewitness-timeline
• https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/The_Zodiac_Killer#cite_note-2
• https://www.zodiacciphers.com/zodiac-news/a-betrayal-of-trust
• http://www.zodiologists.com/riverside_desktop_poem_introduction.html
• https://zodiackillerfacts.com/uncategorized/cheri-jo-bates-a-zodiac-crime-or-just-an-inspiration/
• https://zodiackiller.forumotion.com/t595-new-article-on-the-bates-murder
• https://www.zodiacciphers.com/zodiac-killer-site-forum---hot-topics/ross-sullivan
• https://www.bustle.com/p/who-is-ross-sullivan-the-hunt-for-the-zodiac-killer-explores-a-popular-theory-5465516
• https://riversideca.gov/rpd/about-contact/operations/investigations-division/cold-case-unit?fbclid=IwAR3Wt0URSR77sMZHvWyifloo3dGcYqdbzLhyzZPXTsMY0bscrE0QBswzplo#spotLightCase
• https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/reward-offered-for-information-on-55-year-old-riverside-murder-linked-to-zodiac-killer/ar-AAMZsAO

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GCHQ, the UK government’s intelligence and cyber agency, recruited Welsh-born Gareth Williams in 2000 when he was still at university completing a PHD. He had come to their attention due to his extraordinary intellect, problem solving abilities and computer wizardry. By the time Gareth was 31 he had spent a decade protecting the national security of the UK and had been involved in several projects and missions of global importance. In August 2010 whilst he was on secondment with MI6, the secret intelligence service, Gareth’s dead body was found curled up inside a holdall in the bath tub of his central London flat. The bag had been padlocked shut and the keys were found inside the bag under Gareth’s body. Gareth’s fingerprints were not found on the padlock or the bath tub and Gareth was not wearing gloves. 

Sources

• www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56158160.amp
• www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/retired-police-boss-reveals-possible-19789399.amp
• www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/mi6-spy-gareth-williams-was-killed-russia-refusing-become-double-agent-former-kgb-man-claims-a6670196.html%3famp
• www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8924617/amp/NORMAN-BAKER-body-bag-spy-Gareth-Williams-murdered-Russians-smeared-MI6.html
• www.theweek.co.uk/66231/how-did-spy-in-a-bag-gareth-williams-die%3famp
• www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/extraordinary-life-death-spy-found-15308075.amp
• https://www.buzzfeed.com/tomwarren/secrets-of-the-spy-in-the-bag
• www.bbc.com/news/uk-24927078.amp
• https://www.channel4.com/news/search/Gareth+Williams
• www.thesun.co.uk/news/15348401/clues-spy-in-bag-gareth-williams-dna/amp/
• amp.theguardian.com/uk/2012/may/02/gareth-williams-death-mi6
• www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/mi6-spy-gareth-williams-was-killed-russia-refusing-become-double-agent-former-kgb-man-claims-a6670196.html%3famp
• amp.theguardian.com/world/2010/nov/20/gareth-williams-spy-mi6
• www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17922388.amp
• www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24927078.amp
• www.thesun.co.uk/news/15348401/clues-spy-in-bag-gareth-williams-dna/amp/
• https://www.buzzfeed.com/tomwarren/secrets-of-the-spy-in-th

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Over an 18 month period between 1971 and 1973 three girls aged 10 and 11 years old were abducted and murdered in the City of Rochester upstate New York, USA. Their names were Carmen Colon, Wanda Walkowicz and Michelle Maenza. They all had first and second names that began with the same initial, and each girl’s body was found in a town which began with the same initial as their name.
 
 
 Sources:
 
 amp.theguardian.com/world/2012/may/26/alphabet-murderer

www.unsolvedcasebook.com/the-alphabet-murders/

amp.democratandchronicle.com/

killertales.com/2020/05/22/the-dark-and-disturbing-double-initial-murders/amp/

https://medium.com/the-true-crime-edition/richard-davis-had-more-victims-3a1d2bbebdd8

https://philosophyofcrime.com/the-murder-of-michelle-maenza/https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/

amp.democratandchronicle.com/amp/77384622

eu.democratandchronicle.com/videos/news/2018/03/07/double-initial-murders-carmen-colon-10-killed-1971/32696431/

amp.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/6mm3ml/the_alphabetdoubleinitial_killer_

https://13wham.com/news/local/state-police-pushing-for-new-leads-in-1973-double-initial-murder-case

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1377768/amp/Double-initial-serial-killer-suspect-boxes-notes-detailing-grisly-plans-torture-kill-women.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20191228214839/https://www.whec.com/news/double-initial-murders-was-it-the-work-of-one-killer/5255196/

https://www.websleuths.com/forums/threads/ny-the-alphabet-killings-rochester.80812/

https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=senproj_s2020

amp.democratandchronicle.com/

amp.democratandchronicle.com/amp/3757645

nbcmontana.com/amp/news/local/dna-identifies-killer-in-missoula-cold-case-46-years-later

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It was the school holidays in April 1959 when the bubbly and confident 6 year old Carol Stephens was sent by her mum on an errand to the local shop in the Cathays area of Cardiff. When she returned she quickly dropped off the shopping and hurried back out of the front door determined not to let the rainy Welsh weather stifle her fun. Carol never came home and two weeks later her tiny body was found in a remote area of West Wales 90 km from her home. 

Sources:

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
Western Mail Archive from April to September 1959. (Subscription required)

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/cardiff-murder-cathays-carol-schoolgirl-19261395.amp

www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/cardiff-murder-cathays-carol-schoolgirl-19261395.amp 

BBC Wales “Darklands:Hunting the killers. 2020

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During the summer of 1990, in Llangollen, North Wales, 52 year old antiques dealer Trevaline Evans put a sign on her shop door which read “back in 2 minutes”. She popped across to a local market stall and purchased some fruit for her lunch. Around an hour and a half later a witness saw Trevaline walking near her home, a short distance from her shop. There have been no confirmed sightings of Trevaline since then. Did she choose to disappear? Was there an unfortunate accident? Or was she the victim of foul play by persons unknown?

Sources 

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/mystery-disappearance-trevaline-evans-almost-16318987.amp

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/murderer-who-killed-two-women-20734326.amp

https://medium.com/mystery-confidential/the-mysterious-disappearance-of-trevaline-evans-8c9d6ebccd7c

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/truecrimeengland.wordpress.com/2020/09/02/unsolved-the-disappearance-of-trevaline-evans/amp/

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/plaque-memory-antiques-dealer-mysteriously-19616661.amp

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/serial-killer-linked-to-21-year-old-case-152988.am

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2011/06/10/ligus-im-a-natural-born-killer/

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/trevaline-evans-new-appeal-over-8445933.amp

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-37450337.amp

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/killer-christopher-halliwell-trophy-items-20322677.amp

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