Bio

Colin Pitchfork was born on March 23, 1960 in Bristol, England. He grew up in a working-class family. He was described as a shy and introverted boy. 

Pitchfork developed a compulsion to flash women. This behavior became frequent and continued throughout his late teenage years. He attended high school in the area but did not excel academically. After completing his education, he worked as a baker. Pitchfork was eventually known as a local figure in his community.

Pitchfork got married and had children. He lived in the village of Littlethorpe, not far from where two tragic murders would later take place.

Murder Story

On November 21, 1983, 15-year-old Lynda Mann went missing after leaving her home to visit a friend in Narborough, Leicestershire. The next day, her body was discovered on a footpath known as the Black Pad. She had been raped and strangled. A semen sample found at the scene indicated the attacker had type A blood, matching only about 10 percent of males. Despite the forensic evidence, the case went cold without any leads.

On July 31, 1986, another 15-year-old girl, Dawn Ashworth, was reported missing after taking a shortcut home. Two days later, her body was found in a wooded area near Ten Pound Lane. Like Lynda, Dawn had also been raped and strangled. The method of killing was very similar to that of Lynda Mann, and semen samples again indicated the same blood type.

The investigation initially focused on a local teenager, Richard Buckland, who admitted knowledge about Dawn's murder but denied involvement in Lynda's case. After thorough testing, it was determined that Buckland's DNA did not match the evidence from either crime. This made him the first person exonerated through DNA profiling.

In response to the lack of leads, the police conducted a mass DNA screening of local men. About 5,000 men were invited to provide samples. During this process, a man named Ian Kelly was overheard bragging about giving a sample while pretending to be Colin Pitchfork. Pitchfork, a local baker, was then arrested. His DNA was matched to the semen samples from both murders.

During questioning, Colin Pitchfork confessed to the rapes and murders of both girls and admitted to a long history of flashing women. He also confessed to another separate incident of sexual assault. On January 23, 1988, he was sentenced to life in prison for his crimes.