Lee Ford was an unemployed builder and roofer living in Carnkie, a small rural village near Helston, Cornwall, England. Born around 1966, Ford lived an outwardly modest life and was known locally as quiet, though somewhat reclusive. He married Lesley Ford, a mother of four from a previous marriage, and together they had two more children of their own. By 2000, the couple shared a blended family of six children living together under one roof.

Neighbors and acquaintances later recalled that the family seemed typical and unremarkable, though Ford’s relationship with Lesley had become strained. Financial difficulties, unemployment, and Ford’s controlling behavior created tension in the household. Behind closed doors, Lesley was reportedly planning to leave him and take the children, which deeply unsettled Ford. Police and prosecutors later believed that Lesley had also discovered Ford was sexually abusing her eldest daughter, Sarah-Jane Tranter, aged 17.

Although Ford never directly admitted a motive, this discovery is believed to have triggered his violent outburst. Friends of Lesley described her as a loving, protective mother who had been increasingly worried about her daughters’ safety in the weeks leading up to her disappearance.

By the summer of 2000, Ford was unemployed and isolated, spending much of his time at home. His psychological state appeared to deteriorate rapidly, though he never sought help. The killings that followed shocked Britain due to their brutality, methodical concealment, and the apparent absence of remorse.

The family moved to Carnkie in 1998, seeking a fresh start. However, Ford's behavior became increasingly controlling and abusive. He isolated Lesley from her family and restricted her movements. Reports suggest that Lesley suspected Ford of sexually abusing her eldest daughters, Sarah-Jane and Anne-Marie. She confided in her brother about these suspicions and considered leaving Ford, but he managed to convince her to stay.

The murders took place on or around August 30, 2000. Ford and his wife Lesley Ford, aged 36, argued after she reportedly told him she would leave him and take her four children from her previous marriage — Sarah-Jane (17), Anne Marie (16), Steven (14), and Craig Tranter (13) — away from their home in Carnkie.

During the confrontation, Ford struck Lesley in the face with a baseball bat, rendering her unconscious or incapacitated. He then went to the garage, found a rope, and strangled her to death. Over the next 24 hours, Ford proceeded to strangle each of Lesley’s four children, one by one. His biological children, both much younger, were spared.

After the murders, Ford meticulously concealed the bodies. He wrapped each in sheets, placed them inside a wooden shed in the back garden, and covered them with lime to delay decomposition. To deflect suspicion, Ford told neighbors that Lesley had left him and taken the children away. He repeated this story to the children’s school and social contacts, claiming they had relocated.

When neighbors inquired about Lesley’s absence, Ford remained calm and convincing. He even sent his own two surviving children to stay with relatives, maintaining the illusion of normality for several weeks.

In late September 2000, Lesley’s brother, concerned by the lack of contact, reported the family missing. Police soon visited the Carnkie property to conduct welfare checks. Ford panicked, realizing discovery was imminent, and moved the bodies of his two stepdaughters, Sarah-Jane and Anne Marie, reburying them at the edge of a nearby field.

When police returned and began searching the property, they discovered human remains. Ford fled but was arrested on October 4, 2000 after going on the run. During interrogation, Ford confessed to all five murders but claimed he could not explain why, stating only that he had “flipped.” Investigators suspected the killings were triggered by Lesley discovering his ongoing sexual abuse of her eldest daughter.

The case drew national attention not only for the horror of the crime but also for Ford’s cold demeanor and lack of remorse. Detectives described the scene as one of the most disturbing family annihilations ever seen in Cornwall.