Who were the Steeltown Murders' victims? | The Sun A year into the newly established Operation Magnum inquiry, it was then discovered DNA found on Sandra's underwear matched the same man, showing he was responsible for all three murders. Geraldine's body was discovered 50 yards away from Pauline's, close to the M4 which is quite a busy road, even at night. Steeltown Murders: Filming locations for BBC series revealed DCI Bethell, who led the South Wales police team, says: When asked why would we bother after 28 yearsif you saw the crime scene photographs, if you saw the bodies of those little girls, that would just answer the question. Geraldine Hughes (born 1970) is a Northern Irish film, television and stage actress. The availability of new forensic techniques was responsible for detectives 're-opening' the cases. 1970 As a qualified Police Constable, he is posted to Porthcawl, now part of the South Wales Constabulary. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Pauline Floyd was clubbing with Geraldine Hughes on the night of her murder. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Geraldine Hughes was 16 years. Twilight had finally fallen on a long day of digging and a team of detectives and forensic experts hunched around the newly made hole in the ground as a dirt-covered coffin was slowly brought to the surface. All rights reserved. The bodies of 16-year-old factory workers Geraldine Hughes and Pauline Floyd were found dumped in woodland near Swansea on September 16, 1973, sparking the biggest manhunt South Wales police had ever seen. Geraldine Hughes and Pauline Floyd both left the Top Rank nightclub in Swansea without ever making it home. "Sandra Newton's body was found in a ditch", ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Of course, way back in September 1973, no-one had even heard of the phrase 'serial killer' - least of all 16-year-old factory worker friends Geraldine Hughes and Pauline Floyd, who'd left the Top. For decades, the murders of Geraldine Hughes, Pauline Floyd and Sandra Newton remained unsolved. The Saturday Night Strangler Case, September. It was like Life On Mars. Sixteen year-olds Geraldine Hughes and Pauline Floyd, and 15-year-old Sandra Newton were all murdered and raped by Joseph Kapper. South Wales Police had long suspected a former bus driver and nightclub doorman, Joe Kappen, who died of cancer 12 years ago. The case was reopened under the name Operation Magnum, headed up by DCI Paul Bethell and Phil Rees. Today, now a Detective Chief Inspector, Paul Bethell is in no doubt that solving historic crime is worth the effort. Brutal Steeltown Murders solved after 30 years by key evidence from The night before the two friends had left the Top Rank nightclub in Swansea, but they never made it home. "It was a massive moment for us as investigators.". Another 1973 cold case, where a Briton Ferry teenager was found murdered near the disused Tonmawr colliery, was to provide a much needed lead. Premier League's fixture stance vindicates Man City fan-led protests. Detectives continued to run inquiries for the unexplained murders but it took almost 30 years for the families of the victims to finally have the answers they deserved. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. He was Joseph Kappens son. *map pointers are rough estimates based on known location details as per Place field above. The Steeltown murders were committed by Joseph Kappen. DNA taken from the bodys femur and teeth proved a full match. Although the car thief was only a child at the time of the murders, it was revealed that the thief was Joseph Kappen's son. She was born in West Belfast and lived in the Divis flats for a time. Joseph Kappen was a nightclub bouncer from Port Talbot, known as a habitual petty criminal with a violent temper. Download this stock image: Walter Watkins, who found the body of murder victim Pauline Floyd, 16th September 1973. On Monday officers said the unnamed man was living in the west Glamorgan area at the time of the killings in 1973. Dr Dark says: There was a huge clap of thunder as we got to Kappens coffin. Users described to use the desperately sad vice-like grip of Life on Spice. In 1998, a scientific breakthrough gave the investigation new impetus. But as there was no information on their database, scientists had to get creative. Despite the killings sparking the biggest murder hunt the country had seen, the unknown perpetrator remained at large for years. The man police now suspect is responsible - who featured in the original inquiry - was in his early 30s and married at the time. It gave police a full genetic fingerprint of the killer. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Dubbed the case of the " Saturday Night Strangler ", it became the first documented case of a serial killer in Wales. All three women were murdered and . Luckily I anticipated the sort of developments that might happen in DNA research and asked for the girls' underwear to be stored at our labs in Chepstow. After 29 years the girls killer had been caught, albeit from beyond the grave. It sent a shiver down my spine.. It would soon become clear that the same killer had struck two months earlier in a very similar attack. She won a private scholarship and attended university in America. It stars Philip Glenister and Steffan Rhodri as detectives investigating the real-life murders committed by Joseph Kappen in Port Talbot in South Wales. Walter Watkins, who found the body of murder victim Pauline Floyd, 16th Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. At the time, witnesses saw Geraldine and Pauline getting into a white Austin 1100. Forensic scientist Dr Colin Dark was asked to get a DNA profile from items the police still had from Geraldine and Pauline. What to Watch is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The arrival of an ultra-sensitive testing system meant that the killer's genetic fingerprint, previously mixed up with his victims', could be isolated from the ageing samples available. [8] Rachel Cooke in The New Statesman said she was left bored and furious.[9]. Jean and 50 of her sewing factory colleagues marched on 10 Downing Street. Wynne Phillips, retired Det Chief Supt of South Wales Police, says: DNA was progressing, technology was on the move, and it was decided wed re-look at murder investigations that hadnt been resolved., DCI Bethell and his team set to work. Steeltown Murders starts tonight on BBC One at 9pm. He was Wales' very first documented serial killer and his crimes left a community trembling in fear, Get the latest news from Neath Port Talbot straight to your inbox. Construction of the M4 was also underway, meaning hundreds of itinerant workers needed to be considered. Their bodies were discovered in woodland in Llandarcy - just seven miles from where Sandra was found. She was described by The Guardian as bubbly with a big laugh. DNA taken from the body's femur and teeth proved a full match. It was the year 2000. Joseph Kappen was the real-life perpetrator. He was discovered as the perpetrator of these heinous crimes 30 years after the last murder. Investigators then managed to convince Kappen's ex-wife and daughter to submit swabs for testing. With the help of a psychological profile, the team of three detectives provided the perseverance. Geraldine, in her white minidress, and Pauline, just five foot tall with her green nail varnish, were out to enjoy the bright lights of the big city before returning to their weekday lives as sewing girls in nearby villages. Steeltown Murders cast and creatives discuss the responsibility of Who was Geraldine Hughes and what happened to her? Over the phone from Chepstow Dr Dark would give DCI Bethell the news he never thought he'd hear - The Saturday Night Strangler had been caught, albeit from beyond the grave. They came up with a shortlist of 500 men where they then looked for the previous description, if they owned that particular car model, and previous convictions of sexual assault. But on her five-mile walk home at 1am in the morning, she disappeared. Their murders sparked the country's biggest hunt with a team of 150 officers questioning around 35,000 people who fitted a loose description of the person last seen with the two best friends. She is best known for her portrayal of "Little Marie" in 2006's Rocky Balboa. Joseph Kappen Their bodies were discovered later in Llandarcy. The bodies of Geraldine Hughes and Pauline Floyd, both 16, were found at woodland in Llandarcy in September 1973. Its the stuff of nightmares. "Finally, in 2000, we could start searching the national DNA database of about 1.7 million different people profiles," added Dr Dark. [2], The series was chosen as pick of the week in The Sunday Times on 14 May 2023. Andre Onana told how to succeed at Manchester United as Mason Mount message sent. Geraldine was found about 150ft away. BA1 1UA. Real life people behind gripping BBC drama Steeltown Murders Set in both 1973 and the early 2000s, the four-part series tells how, in the first case of its kind, the mystery was solved using pioneering DNA evidence. The bodies of Pauline Floyd and Geraldine Hughes, both 16, were found in woods in Llandarcy near Neath in September,1973. The Bear season 2 ending explained: what's with the chocolate banana? They had each been raped and strangled, police said. Det Insp Bethells only hope was to swab the most likely suspects for their DNA. Of course, way back in September 1973, no-one had even heard of the phrase 'serial killer' - least of all 16-year-old factory worker friends Geraldine Hughes and Pauline Floyd, who'd left the Top Rank nightclub in Swansea where they'd been dancing to the likes of Bowie's Life on Mars and David Essex's Rock On to hitch a lift home. [1], The series is written by Ed Whitmore and made by Severn Screen. On Christmas Eve 2001, two years after that cold case was reopened, DI Bethell applied to Home Secretary David Blunkett to exhume Paul Kappens dad and, six months later, on a sodden hillside cemetery in South Wales, justice was finally served. The Saturday Night Strangler Case, September 1973. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Mr Kappen's family. They had a printout of several thousand DNA profiles to see if there were any children of the offender in the database. In the early hours of Sunday, September 17, 1973, the bodies of Pauline Floyd and Geraldine Hughes were discovered in woodland in south Wales. It was produced for the BBC by Severn Screen based in Wales and aired on BBC One. Aneurin Barnard plays the murderer in the show, Philip Glenister (centre) stars in the BBC show, Geraldine had tried to flee killer but was dragged back, Sandra was the first of the three victims to be killed in 1973, Where Geraldine and Pauline were found in 1973, Richard Harrington plays Colin Dark in the drama, Rees and Bethel as played by Davies and Arthur, Steeltown Murders true story - how DNA-first caught Saturday Night Strangler 30 years on, Police to dig for student who vanished in 1999 after Levi Bellfield 'confession', Nikki Allan's mum turned detective to catch killer after keeping dress for 31 years, Evil killer Levi Bellfield 'confesses to murdering student to police in jail interview', Serial killer Levi Bellfield quizzed by murder detectives over five unsolved crimes. Detective Chief Inspector Paul Bethell reviewed the cold case . View our online Press Pack. The extraordinary tale is now being told in a new BBC drama - Steeltown Murders - which follows the hunt to catch the grisly killer. * Steeltown Murders: Hunting a Serial Killer is now on BBC iPlayer and on BBC1 on June 6 at 9pm. For more information on the Llandarcy murder investigation, see the South Wales Police website. What I say to them is, speak to the families of the victims and the communities they lived in. He was also the first documented serial killer in Welsh history. But, despite the amount of resources being thrown at the investigation, it threw up no new leads and eventually it was quietly run down, with boxes upon boxes of evidence and admin shelved. Apart from EastEnders, her other favorite shows include Succession, Unforgotten, Line of Duty, Motherland and anything by Russell T Davies. The crime would remain unsolved for nearly 30 years. But in 2002 the exhumation of his body began, with DNA taken from his femur and teeth, which proved a full match. drama, Steeltown Murders, starring Keith Allen and Philip Glenister. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. But at just seven at the time of the crimes, he was ruled out. 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From the swabs taken from her it could now be proven that the man responsible had also killed Geraldine and Pauline. "It got very mouldy and mice had also nibbled away many index cards. But with his son's DNA proving he was a 50 per cent match of the killer's DNA, he became prime suspect. Sixteen-year-olds Geraldine Hughes and Pauline Floyd are found murdered at Llandarcy on Sunday 16th. Although only seven-years-old at the time of the Llandarcy murders, that unusual surname could mean only one thing - he was Joe Kappen's son. The young woman had been hit over the head and terrifyingly strangled with her own skirt. So what was the real story of the Steeltown Murders and how was Joseph Kappen eventually revealed as Wales' first serial killer?
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