Bio

Zainulabedin Zaidi was born in 1966. He grew up in a family that had strong cultural and social ties. His childhood experiences helped shape his views and personality over time. Information on his early life is limited, but it is known that he entered a career in banking. This profession gave him a solid background, although details about his education and upbringing are not widely available.

In 1991, Zainulabedin entered into an arranged marriage with Shazia. This type of marriage is common in some cultures, where families play a significant role in choosing partners for their children. Zainulabedin and Shazia had two children together, a daughter named Saba and a son named Zeeshan. Over the years, their marriage became troubled. Zainulabedin was described as extremely possessive, which created tension in their relationship.

In 1997, Shazia decided to leave Zainulabedin because of their ongoing issues. After their separation, she began a new life and moved to Bracknell with their children. Shazia worked as a social worker at Wexham Park Hospital. In 1999, she remarried but did not inform Zainulabedin about her new husband. This situation led to more complications, as he was supposed to have weekend access to his children.

Zainulabedin struggled with their separation and his jealousy over Shazia's new life. His feelings towards her became more intense as time passed, leading to further conflicts. Information about his life after the marriage breakdown and prior to the tragic events is not well documented. Despite his background in banking, he was unemployed at the time of the incidents. The combination of personal difficulties and unresolved feelings from his marriage contributed to a much darker path ahead.

Murder Story

On March 17, 2000, Zainulabedin Zaidi committed three murders in Bracknell, Berkshire, during the Muslim festival of Eid. He killed his former wife, Shazia, who was 27 years old, and their two children, Saba and Zeeshan, aged seven and six, respectively. Zaidi used a knife to stab and slash his victims inside their home.

The attack was swift and brutal. While Zaidi was attacking Shazia, Saba and Zeeshan fled upstairs to escape. Zeshan managed to call 999 for help, pleading with the operator, "My dad is getting my mum and stabbing and killing her." The call captured the sounds of distress and fear from the children as they hid. Tragically, the line went dead when Zaidi followed them upstairs.

After the murders, Zaidi left the scene and went to an Indian takeaway, where he bought himself a curry. He later sought refuge with a friend in High Wycombe. The following day, he was arrested after a nationwide police appeal for information about the crimes.

Forensic evidence linked him directly to the murders. Blood from his former wife was found on his shoes and watch, and investigators discovered a pair of gloves that he had worn while committing the crimes. Despite the evidence against him, Zaidi denied any involvement, even attempting to blame Shazia's new husband for the killings.

During his trial at Reading Crown Court, he was found guilty of all three counts of murder. The jury took only two and a half hours to reach their verdict. Zaidi was sentenced to three life sentences in 2000, with a requirement to serve at least 20 years before being eligible for parole.