Frederick Walter Stephen West was born on September 29, 1941, at Bickerton Cottage in Much Marcle, Herefordshire. He was the first surviving child of Walter Stephen West and Daisy Hannah Hill. Fred grew up in a poor family of farm workers who were close-knit and protective of one another. His father was strict, while his mother was very overprotective.

In 1946, the family moved to Moorcourt Cottage, which was next to Moorcourt Farm, where Fred's father worked. The cottage had no electricity and was heated by a log fire. By 1951, Fred's mother had given birth to eight children, of which six survived. Fred was the favorite child and often relied on his siblings for companionship.

The West children had many chores to do, and they worked seasonally. The girls picked hops and strawberries, while the boys helped harvest wheat and hunted rabbits. Growing up in this environment taught Fred a strong work ethic. However, he also developed a habit of petty theft.

Classmates described Fred as scruffy and often in trouble. He struggled with literacy, but he was good at woodwork and art. Fred left school when he was 15 and started working as a laborer at Moorcourt Farm.

By 1957, Fred and his brother John spent time at a youth club in Ledbury. Fred had a rough approach toward women and often caused trouble in his interactions with them. When he was 17, he was in a serious motorcycle accident that left him with a fractured skull, broken arm, and broken leg. He was unconscious for a week and had to wear braces afterward. This incident made him afraid of hospitals and gave him quick tempers.

Fred's life took a drastic turn when, in June 1961, his younger sister Kitty accused him of having sexually assaulted her. He was arrested and admitted to police that he had been molesting girls since his early teens. The case against him fell apart when Kitty refused to testify against him. After this incident, Fred's family largely disowned him, and he was banished from the household by his mother. He then moved in with his aunt.

In September 1962, at 21 years old, Fred reconnected with Catherine "Rena" Costello, whom he had previously met at a dance hall. They married on November 17, 1962, with only Fred's brother as a witness. The couple had two daughters together, Charmaine and Anna Marie. Their family life was harsh, and Fred was known for being strict with the children. Fred worked various jobs, including as an ice-cream van driver, while Rena struggled to raise the children.

In July 1967, Anne McFall disappeared. She was pregnant with Fred's child. In June 1994, her dismembered remains were discovered buried at the edge of a cornfield. There were indications that her body had been carefully disarticulated, and many finger bones were missing. Fred initially denied killing her but later confessed to having stabbed her during an argument. He claimed this happened after he tied her up with dressing gown cord.

Catherine "Rena" West, Fred's wife, was last seen in late August 1971. Fred is believed to have strangled her, and her body was found later, extensively dismembered, buried in plastic bags close to several trees. Her murder likely happened during a confrontation about their children.

Fred and Rosemary West married in January 1972. They moved into 25 Cromwell Street shortly after, where they turned the house into a space for lodgers. They also began a pattern of sexual abuse and violence against their children and stepchildren.

In April 1973, they committed their first recognized murder together. Lynda Gough, a 19-year-old lodger, was reported missing after moving into their home. Her remains were later found dismembered and hidden beneath the garage.

Over the following years, Fred and Rosemary abducted and murdered several young women, many of whom were similar in age and lifestyle. They involved their children in the abuse, and physical violence became commonplace in the household. Victims included Carol Ann Cooper, a 15-year-old girl, and several others, some of whom were found buried in the cellar.

In 1978, Fred murdered Shirley Robinson, a heavily pregnant lodger, seemingly out of fear that her child would destabilize his relationship with Rosemary. Her body was buried in the garden along with other victims.

Their daughter Heather West became a target for their abuse and was murdered in June 1987. Fred confessed to strangling her in a game of anger. He later dismembered her body and buried her. In the years that followed Heather's disappearance, the couple concocted various stories to explain her absence.

The Wests were arrested in 1994, following allegations of child sexual abuse. This investigation led to the discovery of multiple bodies in their garden, confirming the worst suspicions about their activities. Fred took his own life in prison in January 1995, but before his death, he had confessed to several murders and hinted at more victims. Rosemary was charged and later convicted of multiple murders, receiving a life sentence without parole.