Latest news with #coldcase
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Keith Bennett: New hope for access to Ian Brady's briefcases
A lawyer for the family of Ian Brady's final missing victim has said he hoped renewed interest in the case could help with a long fight to get access to two briefcases left behind by the serial Ainley has long represented the family of 12-year-old Keith Bennett - one of five children killed by Brady and his lover Myra Hindley in the 1960s. Brady never revealed the location of his remains despite Keith's mother Winnie Johnson, who died in 2012, begging him to do Ainley said Keith's family and the police had been trying for years to get their hands on the briefcases, thought to contain personal papers which could provide clues about where Keith is buried. Brady, who was jailed in 1966, buried four of his victims in graves on Saddleworth Moor, Greater Manchester, where extensive searches for Keith have taken place. Keith's brother Alan Bennett has previously claimed the suitcases were left with Brady's solicitor Robin Makin, based in Liverpool, who has refused his "personal plea" and police requests to hand them over. Mr Makin did not respond to a request for comment. Mr Ainley said Greater Manchester Police had unsuccessfully applied for a warrant to access the briefcases after Brady's death in May 2017 at Ashworth Hospital, a secure psychiatric unit in Merseyside where he had been detained since he said the force had repeatedly come up against legislation preventing them from doing so."I think the police have been informed that there is no such information in the hands of the [solicitors] and consequently we've not been able to so far take it any further," Mr Ainley said. "We thought that police would have additional powers to obtain the documents but so far that legal process hasn't been successful." However, Mr Ainley said a new BBC documentary on the case, which revealed there were 200 pages missing from an autobiography written by Brady, could help police with a renewed push for access."The latest information that some pages from the autobiography have been passed to this solicitor - that will enable them to, I assume, apply to the court in order that they can have access to them," he said."So we'll be having further discussions with Greater Manchester Police to see just what action they propose to take." Mr Ainley said while there was no suggestion the missing memoir pages were in the briefcases, the family was "anxious" for anything that could help give them answers. "I don't think they're connected, but the combination of those pages and the contents of the cases, if those are all examined and put together, it might form a picture that is really helpful," he said. "The family are desperate to get closure and find Keith's body."A GMP representative said the force had "always remained committed to finding answers for Keith Bennett's family".They said: "Keith's family is central to any action we take in relation to this case and our thoughts remain with them."The force said it would "carefully consider and respond" to any "credible evidence". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
CTV News
16 hours ago
- CTV News
Winnipeg man sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing woman in U.S.
Robert Allen Creter is shown in an undated police handout photo extracted from a portable file document. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Somerset County Prosecutor's Office (Mandatory Credit) SOMERVILLE — A Winnipeg man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after he admitted to strangling a woman in New Jersey nearly three decades ago. Robert Allen Creter pleaded guilty earlier this year to first-degree aggravated manslaughter in the 1997 death of Tamara (Tammy) Tignor, whose body was found on a dirt road near Washington Valley Park. Prosecutors had agreed to a 10-year prison sentence, with 85 per cent of it to be served without parole, in exchange for the guilty plea. The Somerset County Prosecutor's Office says he was formally sentenced last week. A break in the cold case came in 2023 when evidence was resubmitted for DNA testing and pointed to Creter, who had moved to Winnipeg in 2002. A social media post from the prosecutor's office says when Creter was arrested in Winnipeg in 2024, he said, 'I have had nightmares about this day happening for almost 30 years.' The office thanked the RCMP and law enforcement in the area for their help in the case. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2025. The Canadian Press
CBC
20 hours ago
- CBC
Manitoba man who killed New Jersey woman in 1997 cold case sentenced to 10 years
Social Sharing A Manitoba man who admitted to killing a 23-year-old woman in a New Jersey cold case homicide has been sentenced to 10 years in prison thanks to a plea deal that upset the victim's mother. Somerset County Judge Angela Borkowski accepted a plea deal to sentence Robert Creter, 61, to 10 years in a New Jersey prison on July 23, for the 1997 strangling of Tamara "Tammy" Tignor, according to court recordings reviewed by CBC News. Creter was arrested in Winnipeg in June 2024 and extradited to New Jersey later that year. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in connection with Tignor's death in May. "He took my daughter's life. He strangled the life out of her," Piper Bailey, Tignor's mother, told the New Jersey court via video conference at last week's hearing. "For 27 years, her killer was out running free while we were all in prison." The last person who saw Tignor alive on Nov. 4, 1997, said they watched her get into an orange van in Newark, N.J., around 4 a.m., prosecutors previously said. DNA collected from Tignor's body — which was found about 12 hours later on a dirt access road near Washington Valley Park, more than 40 kilometres away from Newark — linked Robert Creter to her killing, after more advanced testing was used, prosecutors said. Bailey said she doesn't believe Creter's 10-year sentence was proportionate to his crime. She spent year after year searching for her daughter, contacting police and government officials, and having nightmares about her daughter's death. Creter should be "locked up forever," she said, adding that Tignor's friends and family will show up to any of his future parole hearings until they're all dead. "My daughter will never be forgotten. There is no closure." Prosecutor Michael McLaughlin told the court that Creter "committed several robberies" by killing Tignor, robbing the 23-year-old and her family of her life, and robbing the state of New Jersey of the chance to prosecute him for almost three decades. "A 10-year sentence is not justice here, it's a result of that theft of time," he said. "Tammy would be 50 years old today. Her killer escaped justice for longer than she was alive." Judge Borkowski said she hopes Creter won't be released once he's eligible for parole in 8½ years, because of the likelihood that he could commit another crime. "Hopefully, in the future, the victims' survivors will recognize that there is closure in this case — not to their emotions, but to the case generally," she said. 'Worst decision of my life': Creter Creter, a Canadian citizen and member of Canupawakpa Dakota Nation in southwestern Manitoba, was working as a day labourer in Bridgewater when Tignor's body was found, CBC News previously learned. He moved to Manitoba in 2002, where he remained until his extradition, court records show. Creter had been homeless in Winnipeg in the months leading to his arrest. When given the chance to speak in court, Creter apologized and said he wished he could take back what he did. "It wasn't planned. I never meant to hurt anybody," said Creter. "It was just a bad situation that got out of hand and I made the worst decision of my life." Brian DeMartino, a friend of Tignor's, told CBS News outside the courthouse that he didn't believe Creter's apology. Inside the court, he told Creter that Tignor was like a little sister to him. "I want to tell you that when you die, the world will be a better place and you should hope that I don't find your grave, because what I'll do won't pass for flowers," DeMartino said. Rhonda Reagan said she was relieved to know who killed her friend.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Father dies without ever finding out what happened to his daughter who vanished without a trace 27 years ago
A father has died without ever knowing what happened to his missing daughter who disappeared without a trace almost 30 years ago. Brian Keogh died on Saturday, July 26, aged 69 after suffering with a lung condition linked to his work. He had fought for the truth about his daughter's death up until his tragic passing. Donna Keogh was just 17 when she vanished in Middlesbrough on April, 19, 1998 and although her body was never found police believe she had 'come to serious harm'. A fresh appeal was made for information relating to her disappearance in April this year with Cleveland Police Historic Investigation Unit saying it wasn't too late for people to come forward. But tragically her father - who had been fighting for answers for 17 years - died without ever knowing the truth. A former soldier with Green Howards, Mr Keogh worked as a doorman in his younger years and went on to run his own family business in plastering and damp-proofing before retiring just last year. The father-of-three, whose life was ripped apart when his daughter disappeared relentlessly campaigned to find answers to what happened to his 'bubbly and ambitious' girl. Mrs Keogh said her husband's death had caused her heart 'to break into a million pieces' - but despite the family's devastating loss, she said she will continue their fight and will never give up hope in finding answers. The grief-stricken father believed the family were close to finding the truth to what happened to Donna and the day before he died he told his wife he 'still had so much to do.' 'He was hellbent on keeping the fight going,' she told Teesside Live. 'Even the day before he died he kept mentioning it; he just wanted a bit more time. I know he would have wanted me to express his thanks for all the support in Middlesbrough.' Shirley said the care Mr Keogh received at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, was second to none. She said: 'The nurses were even phoning up on their days off to check on him. 'He got so much support from everybody and was overwhelmed by it. The last four months got hard for him but he kept fighting - he always stayed fit and looked after himself and they said his physical condition had helped him so much.' Mr Keogh was a much-loved father-of-three to Brian Jnr, 48, Michael, 43, and Donna and a treasured grandad of Chanyce, 24, Jimmy, 20, and Tia-Rose, 18. Mr and Mrs Keogh have always always maintained it was their family and the people of Middlesbrough who have kept them going as they battled for answers following the devastating loss of their daughter. In a post on Facebook sharing the tragic news, Chanyce said Brian was the most important man in all their lives. 'We will never understand why but have the comfort in knowing he's back in the arms of his beautiful daughter Donna and is out of pain,' she wrote. 'He was one in a million and we will never, in this life or the next, meet anyone like him. He wasn't just our grandad, he was our dad, best friend and our hero.' Donna had dreamed of joining the Royal Navy and following in the footsteps of her father who took the Queen's Shilling at 15 years old and served with the Green Howards, leaving military college with diplomas. His brother was an officer, his father a submariner during the Second World War, and his grandfather served with the Irish Guards in the First World War. Mrs Keogh is currently organising her husband's funeral and the details will be shared when they are arranged. 'The day before he made sure we knew what he wanted and wrote it all down,' she said. 'He wants the Union Jack flag on his coffin and he will get a bugler. Everything he wanted he will get because he deserved it.' Mr and Mrs Keogh had longstanding complaints against Cleveland Police over the handling of the daughter's case. Last seen at a house party on Bow Street, Donna's body has never found but it is believed she was murdered. They have been supported by Teesside solicitor Simon Walker who they instructed to help as they took their complaints further. Brian was always keen to express his thanks to Mr Walker for his help. Paying his own tribute, Mr Walker told Teesside Live: 'The impression I always got of him was he was a gentle man in the truest sense of the word. He spoke straight and spoke his mind but he was always polite and respectful, and thankful and appreciative of anything anybody seemed to do for him. 'He did contact me a while ago to say there was some movement, he thought. That is the ultimate tragedy that he hasn't lived long enough to see a resolution of this. 'He was old school, ex-forces and we used to have long chats because some of my friends and family are ex-forces.' Mr Walker also said he he remained determined to continue helping Donna's family find answers. In 2018, Donna's family's hopes were raised after her disappearance was reinvestigated following an injection of £3.77million in fund by the Home Office. Alongside the renewed efforts by police, a site was launched to help the search called FindDonna with information shared to thousands of people. However the investigations failed to yield results and the family have continued to fight for justice.
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Nicole Morin is ‘counting on us': Police renew search for Toronto child missing since 1985
Nicole Morin is 'counting on us': Police renew search for Toronto child missing since 1985 Toronto police have renewed the search for Nicole Morin, a child who went missing in 1985, with a $50K reward offer. Janice Golding has the details.
