Tags
1960s, Celebrity, Edward Evans, England, Ian Brady, John Kilbride, Lesley Ann Downey, life sentence, murderer, Myra Hindley, Saddleworth Moor
Myra Hindley (July 23, 1942 – November 16, 2002)
Myra Hindley was born in Manchester, England where she grew up with her grandmother. At age 15, she lost a close male friend after he drowned. In 1961, she met Ian Brady who was working as a stock clerk
and had been recently released from prison. They quickly fell in love and she gave herself to his total control. Very quickly (as in by 1963), Brady tested Hindley’s allegiance by claiming their first victim, Pauline Reade. Four months later, 12-year-old John Kilbride disappeared. In June 1964, 12-year-old Keith Bennett also disappeared. On Boxing Day 1964, 10-year-old Lesley Ann Downey disappeared. In October 1965, Hindley’s brother-in-law David Smith alerted police about the duo. Smith had witnessed Brady killing 17-year-old Edward Evans with an axe. Brady had told him that there were more bodies buried on Saddleworth Moor. All the children had been raped and murdered.
Their trials began in April 1967 and they both plead not guilty. Brady was found guilty for the murders of Lesley Anne Downey, John Kilbride and Edward Evans. Hindley was found guilty of the murders of Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans, as well as harboring Brady in the knowledge that he had killed John Kilbride. Both received life sentences.
In 1970, Hindley severed all contact with Brady and professed her innocence. In 1987, her confession was released to the public in which she confessed to all five murders. All applications for parole were denied. She died of respiratory failure in prison on November 16, 2002.