Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is a house where a murderer lived always the murderers house?

63 replies

NCforThis2022 · 13/01/2022 22:57

I'm rewatching Criminal Minds for the fifth or sixth time, and it occurred to me - is a house where a murderer once lived always the murderers house? Does it ever just become the house on the corner?

Obviously places like 25 Cromwell Street are 'famous', but what about the less well known places?

Would you be able to live in a house that a murderer had lived in? And if you could/do, how do you deal with true crime tourism?

OP posts:
Frankola · 14/01/2022 15:55

This woman lives in Jon Benet Ramseys house
www.westword.com/news/meet-the-woman-living-in-boulders-notorious-jonbenet-ramsey-house-11199075

SirGawain · 14/01/2022 15:59

There was a murder in a house near us about forty years ago. The house (one of a terrace of modern houses). The house is still their but I’ve no idea if anyone presently living in the same street is aware of the houses past.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 14/01/2022 16:09

I do think there is a big difference between a house where a murderer lived and a house where murder was committed. There was a murderer living near me, on one of my dog walking routes. He murdered someone elsewhere, his family were living in the house with him and had no idea so it was just a normal family home. It was a very gruesome case and was in the media a lot and photos of the house were in the media, but I couldn't pick the house out now. I wouldn't even think of him anymore as I walk down that street.

Whereas a house in which murders were committed would stay longer in my mind, and I would think of the trauma of the poor victims and would wonder how the neighbours didn't notice anything. Although, having said that, there was a very gruesome murder in the house behind my MIL's, the boundary wall is at the bottom of both gardens, and I stopped being constantly aware of it being there after the first 24 hours.

Alayalaya · 14/01/2022 16:16

I would be somewhat concerned that the criminal might return to their former home if they were released. There’s a house in my village which has been for sale for years, nobody will buy it because it’s owned by a rapist, his ex-wife is selling it while he’s in jail. People are concerned that when he’s released he might come back home and attack the new occupant. The price is stupidly low but still nobody will risk it.

Kanaloa · 14/01/2022 16:25

@Alayalaya

I would be somewhat concerned that the criminal might return to their former home if they were released. There’s a house in my village which has been for sale for years, nobody will buy it because it’s owned by a rapist, his ex-wife is selling it while he’s in jail. People are concerned that when he’s released he might come back home and attack the new occupant. The price is stupidly low but still nobody will risk it.
Yeah I would be slightly scared of this too as well as what I said about the murder tourists. If the murderer was dead though/likely to die in prison then it wouldn’t bother me.
ShirleyPhallus · 14/01/2022 16:26

I’ve just googled murders in my area and a few have come up in houses I walk past / have admired. I’d have never known, very odd

x2boys · 14/01/2022 16:30

People do have a ghoulish interest in murders ,I can understand why houses such as Fred West, and Ian huntly were demolished .

Hemingwayzcatz · 14/01/2022 16:37

Made sense to demolish Huntley’s home. It was the caretakers house in the school grounds, not exactly something children want to be reminded of on their way to school! Also pretty certain no future caretaker would want to live there…

CounsellorTroi · 14/01/2022 16:38

There must be loads of houses previously occupied by victims of Harold Shipman.

Nat6999 · 14/01/2022 16:40

A flat in the block I live in had a murder in 2017, a woman was strangled & stabbed by her partner, neighbours heard & dialled 999, the first time they called they didn't see her behind the shower curtain in the bath but found her when he tried to commit suicide. He was detained in a secure mental health unit until the state is sure he is no longer a danger. I think about it every time I go past.

RedToothBrush · 14/01/2022 20:37

Its not quite the same as being the home of a murderer but very similar:

Theres a whole thing in Japan about properties with a history.

A “jiko bukken” is a property where the former occupant died of unnatural causes, such as suicide, murder, fire or neglect. They can be rented or purchased at very low prices, provided you are okay with the ‘history’ of the home or apartment.

There is legal requirement to 'declare' if a property has such a history. And that lead to a whole specialist market in these properties because it can drop so much off the value.

Its fascinating that people do attach value to history and a negative value to history.

I do think its good there is a tenancy to knock places down with a particular notoriety.

IWantChocolates · 14/01/2022 20:57

My DH was closely related to a murder victim in Brighton some years ago. It happened in a flat - no way to demolish that! I sometimes wonder who's living there now and if they know. I guess it wasn't a notorious murder, so perhaps it's faded into history.

notanothertakeaway · 14/01/2022 22:06

I live near a house where a woman killed her 3 children. It's still there. I know which street, but couldn't tell you exactly which house

If I owned a house like that, I'd probably rent it out, rather than sell. I imagine people might be willing to rent it, knowing they can move on quickly if they don't feel comfortable

New posts on this thread. Refresh page