To ask if you've ever personally known an infamous killer/serial killer/

[gentlyscented]

I'm fascinated with true crime and was having a conversation with my Grandad once. He told me that one of his brothers mates was friends with peter sutcliffe,and that he had met him a couple of times.

Interested to know if others have have had encounters or known a serial killer

Unfortunately I knew Tracey Andrews both her and Lee's family used to come into my workplace didn't end well alot of the times

My mum was dating someone who she later found out had been locked up for murdering some elderly patients, he was either a nurse or a carer.. my mum was a carer so my guess is that's how she met him.
I met him once when I was about 11. He seemed nice. I don't know his name but he was really tall, dark hair, quite handsome but pale looking. Almost like a good looking lurch. I was wearing a fake nose ring at the time and he took it off me and put it through is septum which I thought was really cool.
She found out a few years after and told me. You never would have guessed.

I do know a double (possible trible, let's wait for the trial) killer, unfortunately, but he's in no way infamous.

trible?! triple!

DH worked for a summer with Fred West

I went to school with a boy whose Dad had killed his Mum and buried her under their patio. He was genuinely a lovely kid, really lovely, and it ruined so many lives when it all came out.

A family member was intoduced to Saddam Hussein before he was "famous" and was told "watch out for this guy he is going places"

Apparently he was a very charming and likable guy

My dad worked a lot of high profile cases being in the met, him and our next door neighbour (police street) both worked on the Bulger case, and I can honestly say neither were the same again.

Not famous, only locally, but a woman I worked in close partnership with was brutally murdered by her son not so long ago. I knew him quite well and he was always jealous/acted younger than his years. You always say ‘you’d never guess it’ but I don’t think there are many people you look at and think they could do something like that.

My aunt was a responsible adult for Myra Hindley

I knew Rachel Nickel. She lived in the same road as me and I worked in the local video shop which she frequented alot to get videos for her little boy. I also knew Colin Stag. Went to school with him and grew up on the same estate. Knew from the first police reports that he was not the killer. So sad. Glad the truth came out in the end but his life was turned around and will never be the same

In my youth, I was dating a man whose brother was found guilty of murder. It was a really big case in this part of the country, was reported nationally too - made bigger by circumstances around it. I knew the brother - not well, but we'd all hung out at my BFs mothers house, and the convicted brother was a really likeable guy, charming, boyish and very good looking. The brother was one of two people convicted, he had begun to hang out with this other lad who was always in trouble, the brother had impulse control issues and had been accepted to go into one of the forces - he was only weeks from going in at the time of the murder. Had the murder not happened, I think it would have straightened him out.

It was all immensely sad. I felt so badly for the family of the victim (crime made worse for family by circumstances - can't explain without being outing), but also for the family of my BFs brother, and my BF of course. They were a genuinely lovely family, with two other boys (my BF and another) who were absolutely straight as can be - never been in trouble and never will be again. Even the brother had no history of trouble with the police, until this event. We all were convinced that the other lad (who was truly a nasty piece of work) did the murder, but that my BFs brother wouldn't tell, through some stupid sense of not telling tales - neither of them would say who did the actual murder. Maybe we were just kidding ourselves. But even now, I can't add together the awful thing that was done with the likeable lad I knew.

One incident of stupidity that became awful and tragic, and so many lives ruined. Tragic.

Apparently he was a very charming and likable guy

The guy I know/knew certainly came across as very charming and likeable, especially to younger me. With time and a closer look: all very superficial. He'd drop you if you weren't of some use. Picked whatever face or ism served him best in whatever situation, and came across very genuine at the first look. He just didn't really keep people around long enough for them to actually realise this. I'm finally NC now that he's awaiting trial, and the scales are truly off my eyes.

My mother was friends with one of the victims of Bible John. And an ancestor was killed by Burke and Hare.

In the village I grew up in lived an old lady whose daughter had been murdered, a young boy whose dad had killed his mum, a man who killed himself and his child, and a man who murdered a taxi driver.

It was an ordinary, quite picturesque village!

I knew Harold Shipman through work, he's was a horrible arrogant man

@Jammiebammie I often wonder how the police officers dealing with such horrific cases are afterwards 😢 especially in these cases when a child has lost its life so tragically.

If you don't already, please listen to 'my favorite murder'. It's a true crime comedy podcast hosted by two amazing women, Karen and Georgia. You will LOVE it.

I know some one related to a child who was murdered. Can't say too much as very outing but absolutely horrific and the circumstances mean that it's even more horrendous than you could even imagine. The poor family has been ripped apart.

I knew somebody at school, fancied him as a teen.
He killed his children and himself, he was a lovely lad from a lovely family.
They say something just snapped, no indication he'd do anything bad at all, let alone murder.

Its a shame though but where I grew up the boys now I went to school with are all in gangs and they wouldn't think twice about shooting or stabbing you girl woman or man, it's horrendous yet whenever I see them they are nothing but polite to me. Awful I blame the parenting mostly as these are the same kids who was allowed to be out like street urchins no curfews, no rules etc, just left to do whatever they want and never taught the word no. It's almost celebrated now by teen girls or in their early 20's as to who can bag one of the "mandem". ( boy in a gang)

I used to park on Cromwell Street (Fred and rose west house) when I went to night school - very tenuous

@RomanyRoots that phrase scares me so much "something snapped". How sad I wonder if he had a few issues and was to afraid to ask for help? X

Before I had my son I practiced criminal and prison law so I’ve met a few. None that I would call ‘notorious’ but murderers none the less. All very different, with different motives and attitudes. I do miss my job, it was very interesting but difficult to sustain around a family.

My DH was at school with one of the 7/7 bombers and played cricket with him as a teen.

My cousin went to school with one of the 7/7 bombers radicalised wives. There was a documentary about her, she's known as "The White Widow".

Two of my colleagues knew Paul Hemming, who killed his ex wife Natalie. Their wives were friends with her.

Totally outed what county I live in from this!

Years ago I worked in a supported housing scheme for people with mental health problems. One day we were told we had a new resident. We were given all his files and I got on with reading to familiarise myself with his details, as was standard. The odd thing was, there was no history, nothing whatsoever, which is unheard of. Anyway this new resident walks in to say hello with his girlfriend and it's none other than Robert Thompson, one of the killers of poor little Jamie Bulger. He looked haunted. He had a persecution complex, which probably was less mental health related and more based in reality.