Mark Fellows was born on September 5, 1980, and grew up in Salford, Greater Manchester, a region long associated with organized crime. Although not much has been publicly revealed about his early childhood or family background, he later moved to Warrington, Cheshire. By adulthood, Fellows had become heavily involved in the criminal underworld, eventually aligning with factions opposed to the notorious “Anti A Team” crime network. Known for his cold and calculated demeanor, he gained the nickname “The Iceman,” reflecting his emotionless nature in carrying out executions. Unlike more impulsive criminals, Fellows operated with strategic precision, often relying on encrypted communications and surveillance tools to plan hits.

He was described by police as a professional gunman. Little is known about any legitimate employment he may have had. His social connections within the North West of England’s criminal circles placed him close to rival enforcers.

Mark Fellows was responsible for two high-profile contract killings tied to gang conflicts in Greater Manchester and Merseyside. The first took place on July 26, 2015, when Paul Massey, a well-known figure in Salford’s organized crime scene, was gunned down outside his home on Manchester Road, Clifton. Massey was shot multiple times by a masked assailant dressed in military-style gear and carrying a weapon resembling a submachine gun. The brutal daylight execution shocked the community and prompted Greater Manchester Police to offer a £50,000 reward for information.

Almost three years later, on May 5, 2018, Fellows struck again. This time, the victim was John Kinsella, a criminal enforcer from Liverpool with ties to the underworld. Kinsella was walking with his pregnant partner, Wendy Owen, near St Helens Linkway in Rainhill when he was ambushed and shot dead. Owen managed to escape the gunfire. Investigators later uncovered that Fellows and his accomplice used EncroChat, an encrypted messaging service, to coordinate the assassination—one of the first UK cases where this technology was brought to light.

Fellows was arrested and brought to trial alongside co-defendant Steven Boyle, who acted as his spotter. The eight-week trial, held under heavy police security due to the danger posed by the defendants’ connections, revealed damning evidence. Among the most critical pieces was GPS data from Fellows’ Garmin fitness watch, found in his home, which showed he had conducted a reconnaissance trip to the field across from Massey’s house prior to the murder.

On January 17, 2019, Mark Fellows was convicted of both murders. He was acquitted of the attempted murder of Wendy Owen. Justice William Davis imposed a whole-life sentence, making Fellows one of only a few dozen UK prisoners serving such a term, with no possibility of release. Steven Boyle was found guilty of the murder of Kinsella but cleared of the other charges.

While incarcerated at HM Prison Whitemoor in February 2019, Fellows was seriously injured in an assault by another inmate, who used a homemade razor blade weapon to slash his face and body. He had to be airlifted to a hospital due to the severity of his injuries.

Fellows appealed his whole-life sentence, claiming it was too severe, but in July 2019, the Court of Appeal rejected his argument and upheld the sentence.