The lead detective who caught Ian Huntley says the Soham killer’s death means he has taken the truth about the 2002 murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman to his grave
The cop who put Ian Huntley behind bars has revealed his “disappointment” that the child killer died without ever confessing the full truth of his crimes.
Huntley, 52, was pronounced dead in hospital on Saturday after a brutal prison attack left him clinging to life. But while the nation reacts to his demise, the lead detective on the case says the Soham murderer has robbed his victims’ families of the final truth.
Retired detective chief superintendent Chris Stevenson, 76, led the investigation into the disappearance and murder of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman back in 2002. Reflecting on the killer’s death at HMP Frankland, he admitted he harboured “mixed feelings” about Huntley’s end.
Stevenson told The Times: “I have always wanted him to spend the remainder of his life in prison and wake up every morning thinking about what he did.
“My biggest disappointment is that he never had the decency to tell the whole truth about what happened on that fateful day in [August] 2002.”
Huntley was the school caretaker who lured the two 10-year-olds into his home while they were out buying sweets. After a frantic 13-day search, their burnt remains were discovered in a remote ditch.
Throughout his 2003 trial, he spun a web of lies to save his own skin, claiming Holly “accidentally” drowned in his bathtub and he killed Jessica “by mistake” while trying to stop her screaming.
Despite a brief 2018 apology where he admitted he was “never getting out,” the veteran detective insists Huntley never dropped his facade or showed genuine remorse for the double murder.
Meanwhile, Huntley’s estranged daughter, Samantha Bryan, 27, has reportedly demanded that there be no funeral or memorial for him. Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, she said: “There’s no point having a funeral as he’ll burn in hell.”
Samantha, who only discovered her father’s identity at age 14, has spent years distancing herself from his legacy, fearing a grave would only become a shrine for “freaks.”
The 52-year-old had been on life support at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle following a targeted hit by a fellow inmate. His mother, Lynda Richards, 71, was reportedly by his side when the machines were turned off.
In a final insult, HMP Frankland may have to shell out up to £3,000 for his cremation if his family refuses to claim the body.
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