Casefile True Crime - Case 110: Muriel McKay

Episode Date: May 3, 2019

On December 29 1969, News of the World deputy chairman Alick McKay returned to his manor in London’s upscale Wimbledon district to find the place ransacked. His wife, Muriel McKay, was nowhere to be seen. ---  Episode narrated by the Anonymous Host Episode researched and written by Milly Raso For all credits and sources please visit casefilepodcast.com/case-110-muriel-mckay

Our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents. If you feel at any time you need support, please contact your local crisis centre. For suggested phone numbers for confidential support, please see the show notes for this episode on your app or on our website. During the 1950s and 60s, Australian reporter and journalist Rupert Murdoch became the senior executive of his own private news proprietor company. After acquiring a number of newspapers in Australia and New Zealand, Rupert's enterprise expanded into the United Kingdom and in 1969, he attended an auction for the largest circulating national gazette, The News of the World.

A spirited bidding contest ensued, wherein Rupert defeated the £34 million offer from business rival Robert Maxwell, securing ownership of the newspaper and its sister publication, The Sun. Having secured his position as chairman of The News of the World Group, Rupert entrusted the role of the company's deputy chairman to 60-year-old Alec Mackay, an Australian newspaper executive with over a decade of industry experience. Alec had spent the previous 12 years in England working for Mirror Group newspapers, proprietors of The Daily Mirror and The People, amongst others. It was whilst working for Mirror Group newspapers that Alec was poached by Rupert Murdoch to spearhead his recently acquired publications. Alec lived with his wife Muriel in South West London's

upscale district of Wimbledon, near the world-famous tennis club. The couple's Georgian-style manor, titled St Mary's House, was situated on Arthur Road, a quiet, leafy street framed by spacious villas, home to London's professional elite, stockbrokers, bankers, and business executives. In December 1969, Rupert Murdoch and his wife Anna made plans to holiday in Australia over Christmas. During their absence, Alec Mackay was assigned to the role of acting chairman of the News of the World Group and tasked with overseeing Rupert's business duties. As acting chairman, Alec was provided with the Murdoch's deep blue Rolls-Royce and its accompanying chauffeur. On December 19, 1969, Rupert and Anna Murdoch departed for their Australian getaway.

Ten days later, on the morning of Monday, December 29, Alec Mackay was picked up from his home in the company's Rolls-Royce and driven to the News of the World Group office in central London, where he remained for the rest of the day. 55-year-old Muriel Mackay dressed in a green woollen jersey suit, a black and white check-top coat, and cream-coloured leather shoes, and headed out in her Ford Capri to run some errands. She went shopping and visited the dentist, returning home to Wimbledon at 5pm. After finishing work for the day, Alec Mackay was chauffured home, arriving to St Mary's House at 7.45pm. When he reached the front door, Alec noticed some sheets of yesterday's newspaper on the ground from the People publication,

dated December 28. He pressed the doorbell with three short rings and one long, a special code designed by Muriel to signal when her husband was at the door. The precaution was established after a burglary at the Mackay's home months earlier in September, which had claimed most of Muriel's jury as well as her sense of safety. Since then, she had also installed a chain lock on the front door, keeping it secured in its latch at all times. Even with these safeguards, Muriel refused to open the door until she confirmed it was indeed Alec standing on the other side. When Muriel failed to come to the door, Alec rang the doorbell three more times, assuming his wife was upstairs and out of earshot. When his rings went unanswered, Alec twisted the handle and was surprised to

discover the door was unlocked, the chain unlatched and dangling by the door frame. He entered the house, noticing the lights were on inside, but his calls for Muriel were met with silence. Further within the entrance hallway, a large chair had been pulled away from a wall and now stood in the center of the corridor. Muriel's handbag lay open on the floor, its contents scattered about, along with more sheets of the People newspaper dated December 28. A two-and-a-half inch strip of a lustoplast tape was twisted over on itself on a table, while a large quantity of bailing twine was tangled in a messy bundle on a chair. The hallway telephone had been ripped away from the wall and was overturned on the floor.

Alec's eyes were then drawn to a foreign object resting on the nearby writing desk. The machete-like cutting tool consisted of a long curved blade and was known as a bill hook, an instrument typically used in agriculture. Alec was certain his property had once again fallen prey to burglars, but it wasn't until he came across Muriel's pet Daxand that he sensed something far more sinister had taken place. The small dog was resting on the living room floor in front of the large open fireplace, a crackling log fire blazed within. Muriel had previously lost two dogs in a fire and as a consequence always made sure that a protective screen was covering the fireplace whenever it was in use. On this occasion the screen was not up and Alec

knew his wife would never leave the house without ensuring it was in place. Upon further inspection he also noticed the television was on, the shoes Muriel typically wore when heading out were neatly perched on the stairs and her car was in the garage. Fearing the intruder may still be in the house and Muriel might be hiding somewhere to protect herself. Alec armed himself with the bill hook and rushed upstairs to check the six bedrooms and two bathrooms, all the while calling out for his wife. When he found each room empty Alec checked the garage and the garden but to no avail. Muriel was gone. Alec hurried to a neighbour's house to raise the alarm and the police arrived to St Mary's house some 10 minutes later. They immediately noticed signs that someone outside

had applied bodily pressure to the chained front door and forced their way in, an act which police determined only required light pushing. The disarranged state of the entrance hallway coupled with the presence of the adhesive tape, bailing twine and bill hook, none of which belonged to the Mackay's, painted a grim picture. An inventory revealed that Muriel's remaining jewellery was gone along with her fawn and black reversible coat, yet robbery seemed to be the perpetrator's secondary motive. It appeared as though Muriel Mackay had been abducted, the bill hook likely used to intimidate her as she was gagged with the adhesive tape and bound with the bailing twine. Alec described his wife as medium build, five foot nine inches tall with brown hair.

He informed police that Muriel was her usual bright self that morning and had also prepared their dinner as though she was awaiting his arrival home. As officers canvassed the local area with tracking dogs, Muriel's family and friends were contacted, including her three adult children, Ian, Diane and Jennifer. No one could offer the names of anyone who might target the kind and gentle grandmother who was clearly beloved by those who knew her. Alec and Muriel were born and raised in Adelaide in South Australia and to the pair were childhood sweethearts. They married many years later as Alec was making a name for himself in advertising. After befriending members of the press elite, including Kerry Packer, Alec pursued a career in print media. Muriel was forever the

supportive wife, standing by her husband during their relocation to London and helping him network amongst publishing circles. In her spare time, Muriel indulged in her favorite hobby, painting, for which he had quite the talent. Desperate to raise awareness of his wife's disappearance, Alec Mackay sought help from his colleagues and friends in the press. He called the editor of News of the World Group newspaper The Sun, prompting throngs of journalists to descend on Arthur Road. Their presence frustrated police, who found the meddling media to be a distraction and liability. Five hours had passed since Muriel Mackay was reported missing and the Mackay property was still trawling with police officers, members of the press, and concerned friends and relatives.

The house phone had since been restored and reconnected when at 1.15am it suddenly rang. The Mackay son-in-law David answered as an unknown male voice asked, is that the home of Mr Mackay? To which David responded, who wants him? The caller explained, tell Mr Mackay it is the M3, the mafia. David handed the receiver to Alec as the caller went on. This is the mafia group 3, we are from America, mafia M3. We have your wife, you will need one million pounds by Wednesday, you would better get it. You have friends, get it from them. Have one million pounds by Wednesday night or we will kill her.

A detective listening in on an extension took note of the conversation, observing the caller had what sounded like a West Indian accent with hints of American overtones. This was confirmed by the call operator, who was still on the line ensuring the call connected. The operator informed authorities that the threatening call had been placed from a public telephone box in the suburb of Epping, 50km northeast of Wimbledon. Until the call from the mysterious M3 could be authenticated, police continued to treat Muriel's disappearance as a missing person's case. Although they didn't rule out the possibility of kidnapping, it seemed highly unlikely as such

crimes were unheard of in Britain. When asked by a reporter if they were investigating a genuine ransom demand, the detective responded, how do we know? We've never had one before. Instead, a suspicious eye was cast towards Alec Mackay and even Muriel herself. Given the crime involved a newspaper executive who happened to oversee the country's two biggest tabloids, speculation arose as to whether the entire situation was a publicity stunt or hoax. The sensational story had gone straight to print with the attention-grabbing headline, Have You Seen This Woman? accompanied by a black and white photograph of a smiling Muriel. Articles speculated over the circumstances of her mysterious disappearance,

with some crudely suggesting she may have left on her own accord in a fit of anger due to, quote, a menopausal incident. As the tabloid circulated salacious rumors, police focused their efforts on gathering the facts. Muriel's doctor assured she was in good health and was cheerful, stable and strong-minded at the time of her disappearance, giving no indications that she would want to leave her current circumstances. There were talks of a possible conflict between Muriel and Alec over a proposed trip to Australia, but it was more a disagreement than a dispute. Nationwide attention mounted, increasing pressure on police to solve the crime efficiently before it spawned a host of imitators. Despite law enforcement's apprehension

to involve the media, on Tuesday, December 30, the day after Muriel vanished, her grief-stricken daughter Diane appeared on national television to compel anyone with information to come forward. Just before five o'clock that evening, another phone call was placed to the Makai household from M3, the unknown man alleging to have taken Muriel. The call was untraceable, leading investigators to assume the professed kidnapper was now using the automatic system known as subscriber trunk dialing, which allowed calls to be made without operator assistance. The police had since attached a tape recorder to the Makai's phone line, enabling them to document M3's voice as he told Alec. Your wife just posted a letter to you. For heaven's sake,

for her sake, don't call the police. The following day of Wednesday, December 31, a letter arrived to the Makai household as forecast. Its envelope was marked urgent and contained a piece of cheap blue paper with messy handwriting scrawled in sloping lines across the page. The handwriting was identified to be without doubt that of Muriel Makai, confirming M3 had direct contact with the missing woman. The letter read, Alec darling, I am blindfolded and cold. Please do something and get me home. Please cooperate or I cannot keep going. I think of you all constantly and have kept calm so far. What have I done to deserve this treatment?

Postage stamps indicated the letter had been sent from Tottenham, a suburb 30 kilometers northeast of Wimbledon. As the original phone call from M3 had been traced to Wepping, investigators now believed the kidnapper and possibly Muriel were located within the north easterly outskirts of London. Upon the receival of Muriel's letter, police officially shifted their missing person search into a kidnapping for ransom investigation. As cities across the world celebrated the new year, Muriel Makai's family sat anxiously by the phone awaiting further instructions from M3. Overwhelmed by the uncertain fate of his wife, Alec Makai was sedated to allow him some much needed rest. Shortly before 7.45 pm on New Year's Eve,

the mysterious caller rang once again, this time asking to speak to Muriel's daughter Diane. He told her, try and remember the M3. I wanted to speak to your daddy. He's not well. Where is your mother? Do you have any idea? You've gone too far. It has gone too far now. M3 abruptly ended this call, only to ring again a few minutes later, demanding to speak to Diane once more. This time he told her, they've got to get a million in tenors and fivers. Muriel's son Ian took the receiver from his sister and asked how they were expected to raise such a large sum of money in such a short amount of time. The caller responded, that's your business, not mine. While police aimed to keep the letter from Muriel classified,

its contents were soon leaked to the press, resulting in a bombardment of Hope's calls and mail from opportunists hoping to cash in on the Makai family's desperate situation. Audio recordings of the kidnapper's voice and the fact he used the alias M3 helped investigators filter out some of the false leads. Undercover police officers and criminal informants were told to listen out for whispers about the identity or history of the enigmatic group Mafia 3, while anonymous tips sent investigators all over the city. One claimed Muriel was in a tunnel underneath a church near the Makai home, but when police arrived to the location, they discovered the passage had been sealed up years

ago. Another call came through from a woman who ominously said the words Gray Hillman before hanging up. A Hillman is a small British car, and unsubstantiated media reports boldly claimed this call was from Muriel herself, attempting to provide police with a clue. Hundreds of statements were collected from members of the public, including one from a Wimbledon local who recalled seeing a dark-colored Volvo saloon-style car with two male occupants slowly cruising the Arthur Road area at 4.40pm on the day Muriel went missing. That same evening, at around 6pm, a neighbour noticed all the interior lights at the Makai home were on, and a dark saloon car was parked in their driveway.

As the Makais waited desperately for further contact from Muriel's kidnapper, a family friend reached out to controversial Dutch clairvoyant Gerard Kraze, who had developed a reputation for helping police trace missing persons. Kraze had been asked to assist in many investigations, including the disappearance of young siblings Jane, Anna and Grant Beaumont from a South Australian beach just three years earlier, covered in episode 100 of Case File. Yet, as his work on the Beaumont Children case revealed, Kraze's authenticated success rate was negligible. Nevertheless, Muriel Makai's kidnapping had become a media sensation, and Gerard Kraze's opinions were soon headlining news reports.

During one interview, a reporter sat on the edge of their seat as Kraze rubbed his hand over a photograph of Muriel and observed a map of London before matter of factually announcing that she was still alive. He claimed she was being held on a white farm northeast of London, near a disused aerodome on a tree-lined property with a green barn and a pond that contained an old motorcycle. The clairvoyant menacingly added that if Muriel was not found within 14 days, she would be dead. Suddenly, Muriel's abduction became an exciting ticking time bomb for the media, with reports calculating how long she could survive in the current cold climate if she wasn't being properly cared for. Kraze's visions were not particularly extraordinary,

as they matched the insights already provided to British police by specialist agents from the FBI who worked as consultants to the detectives overseeing the Muriel Makai investigation. They would prove an invaluable resource, as unlike Britain, the US had dealt with many high-profile ransom cases in the preceding decades, including that of one-month-old Peter Weinberger, covered in episode 64 of Casefire. Given that it was believed Muriel's kidnapper was located in the northeastern suburbs of London, coupled with the FBI's advice that Muriel was likely being held somewhere remote like a rural farmhouse, hundreds of police officers and volunteers descended on ebbing forest and at surrounds, trudging the damp brush, whilst divers searched

nearby ponds and rivers. They were tailed by members of the public who were following the visions offered by Gerard Kraze. Yet, the only area of interest found was an abandoned farm, which was investigated and promptly ruled out. Kraze's intervention became a source of contention for investigators, with one detective remarking, because of Kraze, we wasted thousands of man hours, not through following up his ideas, but because of all the imitators. Meanwhile, Alec Makai agreed to be formally interviewed for television news, during which he described coming home on the evening of December 29 to find his house in disarray and his wife missing. He addressed speculation that Muriel had left on her own accord, stating,

Now, I think no man in the world would say that his wife wouldn't leave him. I really believe that she wouldn't leave me. He concluded the interview by remarking, Well, I have spent a considerable time under sedation, but as this has been lessened off a bit, of course, I am terribly worried. I am frantic that I can get my wife back again. What can I do? I'm only asking the cooperation of everybody who may be watching, who may be listening, or may be reading, to please help us to get her back again. It's merely a question of her sitting and waiting by the telephone, is it? Yes, and that's a very long wait.

Alec's emotional appeal proved futile in re-establishing contact with M3, prompting detectives to employ more cunning tactics. They asked the Makai family doctor to front the press with a fabricated story that Muriel suffered a medical condition that required treatment with three injections per month. The doctor went along with the lie, telling a crowd of reporters that Muriel's well-being was in very serious danger, and expressed false urgency about her need for medication. Despite these efforts, Muriel's kidnapper remained silent. The next appeal came from Muriel's three children.

Ayan, Jennifer, and Diane fronted the news cameras together as Ayan read a statement on behalf of their father. The statement from Mr Makai says, would you please inform me what I have to do to get my wife back? What do you want from me? I'm willing to do anything within reason to get my wife back. Please give me your instructions and what guarantee I have that she will be safely returned to me. I have had so many persons communicate with me that I must be certain that I'm dealing with the right person. The hysteria arising from Britain's first high-profile kidnapping for ransom generated a myriad of false sightings, irrelevant tips, prank calls, and phony demands. One fraudster demanding a ransom met with undercover police

in an east London underground train station and was later jailed for three years for the deception. Eight days after the last call from M3, the news of the world editor Stafford Somerville received a letter from the kidnapper marked urgent and personal. In handwritten capital letters on white lined paper torn from an exercise book, M3 complained he was unable to contact Alec Makai as the phone line was busy. He stated he would only provide instructions on how to secure Muriel's release once the police were sent away. The kidnapper suggested the million pound ransom be handed over in two installments of half a million each, adding, if he cooperates he shall see his wife, if he don't cooperate his wife will be disposed of.

The letter ended with, he has not paid off for St Mary's house and she said he hasn't the money, but he can borrow from friends he knows. Four days of silence followed, ending on Wednesday, January 14, when Stafford Somerville received a phone call from M3, reiterating his demands and ordering the newspaper editor to tell Mr Makai that he would prove that Muriel was still alive. Later that day, M3 rang the Makai household and provided the family with what he deemed to be proof that Muriel was still alive, detailing the fact she was wearing her fawn and black coat. The Makai's were unconvinced this information proved anything, so M3 said Muriel would write them another letter.

The next call to the Makai residence came five days later on Monday, January 19. Shortly before 3pm, Alec Makai answered the phone and was greeted by M3 who said, Hello Alec, we contacted you last week concerning Muriel. A 35 minute conversation followed, the longest from Muriel's kidnapper to date, wherein he claimed to have infiltrated the UK's criminal investigation department to ensure the case would never be solved. Alec pressed for proof that his wife was still alive, suggesting that in her next letter Muriel should write out the full names of their children, or provide details of the Christmas present she had recently received.

M3 disregarded this request, reassuring Alec that Muriel was alive and he would be able to speak to her as soon as the first delivery of ransom money was made. He stated, You are to be blamed for going to the police. We are looking for a place where you should meet us to bring the money. Anguished Alec responded, Look, bring a gun here and shoot me rather than ask unreasonable demands. Nobody's got a million pounds, I can't give you what I haven't got. When asked what he did to deserve this Alec was told, I don't know, but your wife is such a nice person. M3 further explained, This is not one person, this is worldwide, international. I run this branch in England, you see. Don't take any telephone calls from anyone

unless they say M3. The mafia, M3. He then rambled on about a group he referred to simply as the boys who had tailed Rupert Murdoch's Rolls Royce with the intention of kidnapping the wealthy media mogul's wife Anna. However, as the Murdochs were on holiday in Australia, the boys inadvertently followed their Rolls Royce to the Mackay residents and abducted the wrong woman in a case of mistaken identity. Despite now dealing with someone who had significantly less net worth than their original target, M3 continued to demand the exorbitant £1 million ransom from Alec Mackay. When Alec offered the far more attainable sum of £20,000, M3 replied, Over here, no use. Accept or reject, half a million. You gotta do something about it. Dejected, Alec replied. I could kill myself,

that would solve the problem. As the call reached its conclusion, M3 stated, My taxi is waiting. I've got to go to the airport to receive one of the boys. You've got to get half a million. This is my order, and that is final. The next call from M3 came through two days later on Wednesday, January 21, and was answered by Alec and Muriel's son, Ian. M3 advised Ian he would be sending an envelope containing two letters from Muriel, one addressed to Alec and another to their daughter, Diane, that proved Muriel was still alive. According to M3, she was trying to tell you all where she was, so we had to clip a few pieces off. M3 ended the call, but rang again a few

minutes later to arrange the first ransom drop. Advising Ian the half a million pound payment would grant the Makai's phone contact with Muriel. Ian informed the kidnapper that his father was far too ill to participate in the ransom drop, and that he would do it instead. In actuality, concerns they might be dealing with an international criminal gang meant police were prioritising Alec Makai's safety, denying him any direct contact with Muriel's captors. The following day of Friday, January 22, two letters from Muriel arrived to the Makai house in a single envelope, just as M3 had described. A postage stamp specified the letter had been sent from Wood Green, another suburb in London's northeast. Both letters were undoubtedly written

in Muriel's handwriting. In the one penned for her husband, Muriel wrote, Dear Alec, I am deteriorating in health and spirit. Please cooperate. Excuse writing, I am blindfolded and cold. The earlier you get the money, the quicker I may come home, or you may not see me again, darling. Negotiate with gang as quickly as possible. The gang is too large to fool. In the letter to her daughter Diane, Muriel wrote, I heard you on TV. If only you would persuade daddy to cooperate with the gang. Please keep the police out of it if you want to see me. It was this comment that raised concerns about Muriel's well-being. Although Diane had appeared on national television multiple times throughout her mother's disappearance,

she only ever spoke once. During a news report that aired on the BBC on December 30, the day after Muriel was taken. For Muriel to specifically mention this appearance 23 days later seemed highly unusual. Detectives now suspected she may have been forced to pen all the letters to her family at a much earlier date, with her kidnapper sending them intermittently to give the illusion they were being written throughout the course of the investigation. For the first time since her disappearance, police were confronted with the possibility that Muriel Makai was dead, and that her killer was planning his moves in advance to foster the hope she was alive. Ensuring he maintained control over the situation.

Also enclosed with Muriel's two recent letters was a note from M3 providing instructions for the first ransom drop which was to take place in 10 days time on the 1st of February. Half a million pounds was to be placed in a locked black suitcase and driven in Muriel's board Capri along North Circular Road to the public phone box at the Cambridge Road and Church Street intersection. M3 would ring the phone box at exactly 10pm to provide the next set of instructions. According to M3, the suitcase would be collected by a random stranger who was being paid to retrieve it. Therefore, if this person wound up in police custody, they would not be able to provide information about M3 or Muriel's whereabouts. The letter ended, quote,

any error on your part will only take two minutes and you will never see Muriel again. You will see her dead and delivered at your door. The day after the ransom note arrived, Muriel's kidnapper resumed his menacing phone calls to the Mackay household. Pressing for proof his mother was still alive, Ian asked M3. The letters could have been written weeks ago. Why the hell should we give you the money unless we know she's alive? An argument broke out between the pair as to whether a description of the clothing Muriel was wearing when she disappeared was proof of her living status. Ian pointed out that the police and the press had described Muriel's outfit from the outset of the investigation,

therefore repeating this well-known information proved nothing. Ian asked to speak to his mother or to have a tape recording of her speaking be sent to their family. But M3 ignored his request and ended the call. Less than two hours later, M3 was back on the phone, telling Ian, I've just contacted head office and this is final. If you don't intend to cooperate, we shall drop the matter there. We won't be needing the money and you won't be seeing your mum. Ian explained they had gathered a quarter of a million pounds but before M3 saw a scent, they needed proof Muriel was alive. His request was again denied, leading Ian to snap. It's because you haven't got her. You've got a corpse. You're trying to trick us.

Before ending this call M3 explained, we've never murdered anyone as yet, but there's always got to be a first time. Prompting Ian to retort. Okay then, but you get no money. In an attempt to reassure them Akai's M3 told them we deal with honesty. 15 minutes later M3 called again, telling Ian, your mum said she has been a good wife to your dad and a good mother to her children. She asked why have they forsaken her. If you want your mum, follow instructions. Exasperated, Ian requested the kidnapper purchase a copy of that night's evening standard newspaper and have Muriel write out the headlines to prove without doubt that she was indeed alive.

Three days later, on Monday, January 26, an envelope addressed to Alec Mackay arrived to St Mary's house. Its postage stamp confirmed it too was sent from Wood Green. Inside, there were two handwritten letters from Muriel, but neither contained the list of newspaper headlines requested by Ian. Instead, the first letter read, Alec darling, if I could only be home, I can't believe this thing has happened to me. Tonight I thought I'd see you, but it seems hopeless. That is all I can say at the moment. He betrayed me by going to police, not cooperating with M3 gang. Love, Muriel.

The second letter was shorter, stating, darling Alec, you don't seem to be helping me. Again, I beg of you to cooperate with the M3 gang. The bottom section of this page had been removed, likely done by M3 who had previously claimed to cut out any section of Muriel's letters that could reveal her whereabouts. Her unfinished final message read, you understand that when there, the envelope also contained another note from Muriel's kidnapper, which read, I am sending you final letter for your wife's reprieve. She will be executed on February 2nd, 1970, unless you keep our business date on February 1st without any error.

We demand the full million pound in two occasions. When you deliver the first half million, your wife's life will be saved and I personally shall allow her to speak to you on the telephone. This is our fourth blackmail. We have absorbed three and a half million pounds. We did not murder anyone because they were wise to pay up and their family were returned to them. You do the same and she will return safely. Looking forward to settling our business on the 1st of February at 10pm as stated on last letter in a very discreet and honest way. You and your children will be happy to join Muriel Mackay and our organization also will be happy to continue our job elsewhere. That is why we won't accept Ian telling us what to do.

We give the order and you must obey. Also enclosed within the envelope were three small squares of material, green woollen fabric, fawn and black reversible fabric and cream colored leather. All neatly cut from the clothing Muriel was wearing the day she vanished. Two days before the scheduled ransom drop, Muriel's kidnapper was on the telephone to Ian Mackay again, warning any error will be fatal. Although M3 originally ordered the cash to be delivered using Muriel's car, Ian proposed using the chaufford Rolls Royce instead as he was unable to drive due to a recent injury that put his arm in a sling. M3 raised no objections, unaware that Ian's story was a lie. Police had

crafted the tactic to enable two people to be in the Rolls Royce which had an inbuilt telecommunications set. On Sunday February 1, M3 telephoned Ian to say he would see his mother again if everything went smoothly that night. It seemed the kidnapper had finally conceded that he would never receive the full £1 million ransom and was now willing to release Muriel for half the original amount. He ordered Ian to guarantee that Muriel would not be interrogated by the press or police upon her return to her family. At 9pm, the Rolls Royce pulled away from St Mary's house, driven by undercover Detective Inspector John Miners acting as the chauffeur, complete with uniform. Treating the situation with utmost care and diligence, Detective Miners had taken the

time to learn how to drive the Rolls Royce just like the chauffeur. Detective Sergeant Roger Street was in the back seat, his hair dyed and restyled to closer resemble Ian Mackay. His arm was secured in a sling to indicate it was injured, but actually served to conceal a two-way radio. The detectives were in possession of a black suitcase containing half a million pounds, made up of several bundles of fake banknotes with a thin layer of genuine money on top. An electronic homing device was also inside. As per M3's directions, the Rolls Royce drove along North Circular Road towards the A-10 motorway where it pulled up to the public telephone box at the Cambridge Road and Church Street intersection. Detective Street, posing as Ian, exited the

vehicle and entered the phone box. At exactly 10pm, he received the call from M3 who directed him to a second phone box on the corner of Southbury Road, a 40-minute drive up the A-10. At this second phone box, M3 called and said, look on the floor, you'll see a Piccadilly cigarette packet with your instructions. Sure enough, the seemingly discarded cigarette pack lay at the detective's feet, signed M3. A piece of paper tucked inside listed the next phase of instructions. The suitcase was to be taken to the corner of Cambridge Road and to Dane End, yet another locale in London's northeast. Two paper flowers would be stuck in the embankment, acting as markers for where the suitcase was to be deposited. The Rolls Royce reached the corner of Cambridge Road and to Dane

End at Midnight, where the detectives inside spotted the two handcrafted flowers arranged there. They were made from tissue paper and paper clips to look like carnations, one yellow and the other green. The detectives left the suitcase by the flowers and drove back to the phone box at the Cambridge Road and Church Street intersection, where M3 had advised they would receive a call regarding Muriel's location. Over 100 undercover police personnel kept a discrete watch of the suitcase from nearby buildings and vehicles awaiting the arrival of the stranger hired by M3 to pick it up. 40 were armed and outfitted with bulletproof vests, having been advised that in the event that Muriel and her kidnapper appeared, they should throw her to the ground to shield her

body whilst other officers detained her at Ducta. Two officers watching from a taxi sided a dark coloured Volvo saloon car cruising around the area, occupied by a male driver and a bushy-haired passenger. One of the vehicle s rear lights was observed to be non-functional. Neither officer recorded the Volvo s license plate number, presuming it was one of the many undercover police cars circling the area. As time passed, the suitcase remained unclaimed and M3 made no further contact. Detective Street emerged from the phone box at the Cambridge Road and Church Street intersection, having never received the promised call regarding Muriel's whereabouts. At 2.30am, the operation was officially declared a bust.

Two days after the failed ransom drop, M3 called the Mackay House and spoke with Ian, explaining why the suitcase went unclaimed. You know why I didn't even touch the suitcase. My boss, the head boy, was there. All the boys were there. We saw cars parked all round there. Did you know they were all police? He went on to mention he was now going to attend a meeting with the mafia bosses to set a time for Muriel's execution, saying, This organization's got money. I'm going to this meeting of the semi-intellectuals to plead for your mum. I'm fond of her, your mum, because she reminds me of my mum. M3 called again two hours later, appearing to have had a change of heart. He was now open to

the possibility of attempting another ransom drop, but this time the boys were insisting the delivery be made by Alec Mackay and his daughter Diane. The group suspected Ian was responsible for the police presence at the failed drop days earlier and no longer trusted him. On Thursday, February 5, the day after his wife's 56th birthday, Alec Mackay spoke with M3 as they discussed plans for the upcoming ransom drop. On the following day, the money was to be split between two white suitcases, with the father and daughter instructed to carry one each. Alec was directed to drive the Rolls-Royce to a public telephone box on Church Street in the North London District of Tottenham at 4pm and await further instructions.

The next day, Friday, February 6, Detective Inspector John Miners made up to look like Alec Mackay and a female police officer disguised as Diane set off to Tottenham in the Rolls-Royce. They reached the Church Street phone box as directed, where at 4pm, M3 rang and ordered the pair to head to a second phone box in London's East End District of Bethnal Green, a near 10km trip south. At Bethnal Green, M3 called again, instructing the duo to take the London Underground transit system to Wepping, where they were told to head to another specified phone box. The undercover officers boarded the train, each carrying a white suitcase containing the phony ransom money. They shared their compartment with several plainclothes police

officers, cautiously observing their movements. Upon reaching the phone box in Epping, M3 called to instruct the pair to take a taxi to Bishop's Thortford, a suburb just over 20km northward. From there, they were to head to Gates Garage, a petrol station and mechanic situated on a used car lot. Parked in the forecourt was a minivan with the license plate number UMH 587F. M3 ordered the suitcases be left beside the minivan. Warning, we deal with high-powered telescopic sided rifles, anyone illegal that attempts to interfere with the cases. We shall just let them have it. By the time the taxi arrived to the Gates Garage,

night had fallen and the area was teeming with hidden police officers. They were peering out from inside parked cars and cowering behind surrounding fences. The taxi pulled up alongside the minivan and the two suitcases were deposited as instructed. Detective Minas and his female colleague then returned to the phone box in Epping to await the next call from M3 regarding Muriel's whereabouts. Five minutes after the delivery, officers overseeing Gates Garage spotted a dark blue Volvo saloon car with a broken tail light driving slowly past the minivan. Its male driver was observed looking out towards the suitcases before driving off. At 9.35pm, the Volvo reappeared and circled around the lot twice,

driving by the suitcases each time. In the second instance, the vehicle almost slowed down to a halt but a car travelling behind bipped its horn, forcing the Volvo to speed up and drive onward in the direction of Bishop Storford's town centre. Over an hour later, at 10.47pm, the Volvo returned to the area with the driver now accompanied by a male passenger. Darkness prevented officers from identifying the vehicle's occupants, but it was observed that the passenger had dark coloured bushy hair and a mustache. Yet again, the Volvo slowly drove around the area before departing, leaving the cases behind. Less than 10 minutes later, at 11.00pm, two well-meaning members of the public noticed

the abandoned suitcases and called the police to report the suspicious items. Local police officers arrived at the scene, completely oblivious that a high-stakes ransom drop was underway. Undercover detectives watched on as the officers collected the cases and left, inadvertently thwarting their operation and forcing them to abandon it at 11.40pm. However, not all was lost. What seemed like yet another failure to secure Muriel's release actually provided detectives with a much needed major breakthrough. The dark blue Volvo Saloon car had now been spotted at both ransom drop attempts. Her vehicle matching its description was also cited by witnesses on the night of Muriel's abduction,

initially cruising around Arthur Street and later, parked in the driveway of St Mary's House around the time Muriel was abducted. Although its significance was unintentionally overlooked during the first ransom drop, when the vehicle reappeared at Gates Garage, officers recorded its license plate number, XGO 994G. On the morning of February 7, 1970, 40 days into the search for Muriel Mackay, a police convoy travelled down the long muddy drive of Rooks Farm, a ranch in the village of Stocking Pelham, approximately 50km northeast of London. The general area, M3, was known to operate from. The remote farmland contained 14 acres of pasture surrounding a two-story home,

its white facade run down and dated. Parked out front was a dark blue Volvo Saloon car with a broken taillight and the license plate number XGO 994G. The Volvo was registered to the wife of the farm's owner, 34-year-old Arthur Hussain, one of seven Hussain sons born in the Caribbean country of Trinidad. After emigrating to London in 1955, he worked as a ledger clerk until he was called upon for national service in 1960. Having little interest in the army and regularly absconding, Arthur's service ended in a six-month stint in military prison prior to being discharged for desertion. One officer held the opinion that Arthur Hussain was, quote,

immeasurably the worst soldier that has been my misfortune to have under me. In the following years, Arthur married a hairdresser 10 years his senior whom he met during his military service and to the pair started a family. He then followed in his father's footsteps to become a tailor, running his own business from a shopfront in Hackney. Arthur established a positive reputation for his craftsmanship and earned a decent wage of £150 a week. Arthur's prosperity fostered a desire to abandon his tailoring business and live the life of a wealthy country gentleman, so he took out a mortgage and purchased the dilapidated Rook's farm in 1967. In an attempt to portray himself worthy of his esteemed community, Arthur squandered

his earnings on lavish expenses, ensuring the Hussain family were in constant financial struggle. To pay the bills and support his lifestyle, Arthur continued his tailoring work from home while raising livestock for slaughter. Despite his hardships, Arthur boasted about money and expressed his dream to become a millionaire. His unfound arrogance and vanity soon irritating his acquaintances, who mockingly referred to him as King Hussain. In August 1969, the youngest Hussain brother, 21-year-old Nismah Dean, moved to Rook's farm to help look after the livestock while Arthur's wife and children visited extended family in Germany. Despite their relation, Arthur and Nismah Dean didn't look much like siblings. The smaller

of the two, Arthur was plump with large round facial features, bushy black hair and a thick mustache. Nismah Dean was tall and lean, with soft narrow facial features and a wad of dark hair neatly combed across his forehead. The differences between the pair extended beyond their physical appearances. Nismah Dean lacked the bravado of his older brother and was far more introverted and emotional. When the search for Muriel Mackay led police to Rook's farm, they identified Nismah Dean as the driver and Arthur as the passenger of the Volvo witness at the two ransom drop sites. The brothers were presented with a search warrant relating to the jewellery stolen from Muriel's home on the night of her abduction,

although finding these items were the least of the investigator's priorities. When shown the warrant, Arthur Hussain stated, I don't know nothing. I earned £150 a week. I'm a wealthy man. I don't deal in stolen property. You can look where you like. A thorough search of Rook's farm commenced. Officers inspected the entire property from the shed where two fierce guard dogs were kept, to the barns that accommodated the livestock, to the outbuilding that was used as a slaughterhouse. Inside the farmhouse, officers found a run-down residence full of worn furniture, including couches, a curved bar with a couple of stools,

a radiogram and a television set. While several upstairs bedrooms were sparsely furnished, a washing machine had recently burst, flooding the kitchen and a living space. Police summoned an architect and a builder to examine the property for any secret compartments or rooms. Their efforts to locate Muriel were futile. Police did uncover several items of interest, including a sawn-off shotgun, as well as an empty tin of two and a half inch elastoplast tape, which matched the strip found at the Mackay's home following Muriel's abduction. A total of six handcrafted paper flowers were discovered throughout the farmhouse,

identical to those used as markers during the first ransom drop attempt. An empty Piccadilly brand cigarette packet was also found, the same type left in the public phone box by M3 that contained the instructions that led detectives to the flowers. The cigarette packet used in the ransom drop bore Arthur Hussain's thumbprint, and the instructions inside were examined by a handwriting expert who determined the writing resembled Arthur's penmanship. Upon searching Arthur's sewing room, investigators were reminded of the three pieces of material clipped from Muriel's clothing that was sent to her family during her disappearance. Each piece of fabric had been cut in neat squares,

just like fabric samples a tailor would provide. A piece of paper found in the left pocket of a pair of Nismah Dean Hussain's trousers noted the license plate number of the minivan parked near Gates garage. The minivan was used as a marker during the second ransom drop attempt. Detectives also found a cardboard box in Nismah Dean's bedroom that contained an exercise book with several pages missing. The letters received from M3 were slid into the book and their ripped edges paired with the torn remains inside. The surface of the box also had indentations of the words off and St Mary's, which matched writing on the ransom note from M3 that read, he is not paid off for St Mary's house, and she said he hasn't the money,

but he can borrow from friends he knows. A palm print on the note matched Arthur Hussain, as did prints on a sheet of the People newspaper found at the Mackay's house the night Muriel was taken. As the search of Rook's farm continued, investigators spoke with a local farmer named Leonard Smith, who recently helped the Hussain's transports and furniture to their property following an auction. Leonard always kept the spare wheel and bill hook in his car, but he had to remove these items to unload the furniture. After making the delivery and returning home, Leonard realized he had accidentally left his wheel and bill hook at Rook's farm. The Hussain's later returned to the wheel, but not the bill hook, and when shown the one retrieved from the Mackay crime scene,

Leonard responded, that's my bill hook. I defy anybody to say it's not. Despite the overwhelming evidence implicating the two Hussain brothers in the abduction plot, investigators failed to find anything to prove Muriel Mackay was ever held at Rook's farm, or to explain what had become of her. Nevertheless, Arthur and Nismedine Hussain were placed under arrest and taken in separate police cars to Kingston Police Station, where they denied involvement in the crime. Both brothers gave alibis for the night of Muriel's disappearance, neither of which could be verified. When shown all the evidence that linked him to the crime, Arthur Hussain denied ever seeing the items and placed all the blame on his younger brother,

even though his finger and palm prints were present on several key exhibits. He agreed to provide a handwriting sample, but an expert concluded that Arthur deliberately disguised his penmanship to appear different to M3's ransom notes. In his sample, Arthur misspelled the word occasion with two S's, a unique error that was also present in M3's second letter to the Mackay's, where he wrote, we demand the full million pound in two occasions. Police spoke to Arthur's wife Elsa, who revealed she had taken the children to Germany to visit extended family from December 13, 1969 to January 3, 1970. Her trip, her husband, particularly encouraged. She didn't see Muriel at Rook's farm upon her return, nor did any of the guests who

visited the property while she was gone, leading investigators to believe with certainty that Muriel was killed within the first 48 hours of her abduction. This validated the earlier theory that Muriel had been forced to write the letters to her family all at once, within the initial hours of her captivity. According to Elsa, her husband's behavior became more secretive prior to her leaving for Germany. Arthur drove into London more often than usual, taking his younger brother with him, even though Nismar Dean's job was to stay home and complete chores on the farm. Elsa recalled a conversation with Arthur in the weeks leading up to her trip, during which he remarked, You know darling, there must be easier ways of making money than this.

At the time, Rupert Murdoch's multi-million pound purchase of News of the World was making headlines, and Arthur remarked that the tycoon would be worth a lot of money if he was held captive, stating he ought to be careful with all this publicity. When Elsa returned from Germany, she found Rook's farm in Shambles. Most notably, curtains had been torn off the railings in the master bedroom. She questioned if a fight had taken place in there, prompting Arthur to go berserk as he angrily denied the suggestion. Elsa then found a women's green vest amongst the blankets of the bed. Angered by the implication her husband may be having an affair,

she stormed downstairs and tossed the item of clothing in the fireplace and watched it burn. In the following days, Arthur was angry and erratic. At one stage, he ordered Elsa and the children to leave the house, threatening that something would happen to them if they refused. Nismar Dean was acting equally bizarre and was clearly overcome with nerves. He held his shaking hands up at Elsa, stating that they could kill and begged her not to leave him alone with Arthur. Elsa later remarked, the way the boy was acting that night, he was guilty of something terrible. Without a shadow of a doubt, it was Nismar Dean who killed Mrs. Mackay. Arthur could be violent, but he could not kill. He couldn't stand to the sight of

blood. It wasn't a stretch for investigators to envisage Nismar Dean as the one who murdered Muriel, considering the young man had two previous convictions for violent crimes. Elsa's comments, combined with Arthur's unwillingness to cooperate, led to the investigative spotlight being placed on the younger of the two siblings. The brothers were known to have a temperamental relationship in which Arthur asserted control over Nismar Dean, who was considered weak-willed and easily led. Records showed that Nismar Dean had once made a police complaint alleging his brother had assaulted him, but when an officer attended Rook's farm to investigate, Nismar Dean insisted the situation was settled. Unlike his steadfast and confident

brother, Nismar Dean broke down during police interrogations, crying, Kill me. Kill me. Arthur always gets me into trouble. Kill me now. When asked about his whereabouts on the night of December 29, 1969, Nismar Dean trembled and shook his head, saying, Where did Arthur say I was? I was with my brother, Arthur. When asked if he went to Wimbledon, Nismar Dean remained silent, prompting officers to question if something was wrong. He answered, I want to die. Let me die. My brother Arthur will kill me. He beats me. I can't speak. I mustn't speak. Let me see Arthur. Nismar Dean was also asked to provide a handwriting sample and made no effort to

disguise his penmanship. As his writing didn't match M3's ransom notes, investigators believed Arthur had likely authored them. When shown the bill hook, bailing twine and a strip of a luster plaster retrieved from the Mackay house, Nismar Dean closed his eyes and cried, Let me die. His agony increased when the pieces of material cut from Muriel's clothing were presented to him as he begged officers, Let me die. Why won't I die? Experts compared the tape recordings of the phone calls from Muriel's abductor to the voices of the Hussain brothers and noted strong similarities. Both Hussain brothers were asked to speak into a telephone that was connected to the tape recorder at the Mackay residence.

Arthur agreed to the request, but Nismar Dean refused. It was clear to those who had heard extracts of the M3 audio tapes that the man on the phone had been Nismar Dean Hussain. When asked whether Muriel Mackay was dead, Nismar Dean fell silent and trance-like. Even his solicitor pressed to find out if Muriel was still alive and where she was located, but Nismar Dean hung his head and said nothing. Eventually, Nismar Dean became emotional and told an unsettling story in which he borrowed a bill hook from a farmer friend to chop up a dead calf. When asked what he did with the calf's remains, he stated, I fed it to the dogs. As for the bones and head, he explained, they were put out with the rubbish.

Based on this story, investigators were certain Nismar Dean was using the calf as a proxy for Muriel Mackay and he was actually describing the violent way in which he and Arthur disposed of her body. Lost in police custody, Arthur Hussain reached boiling point, telling officers, if you've got anything on me, then book me. Both he and Nismar Dean were formally charged with seven counts, including the abduction, imprisonment and murder of Muriel Mackay. The other indictments were in relation to threats and blackmail, specifically the demands of a million pounds by menaces from Alec Mackay. Efforts to locate Muriel Mackay continued for weeks, with the fire brigade draining the ponds on Rooks Farm and trudging through the Outlying Creek,

as lines of police officers searched surrounding fields, forests and farmland. The property itself was extensively excavated, but to no avail. No trace of Muriel Mackay was ever recovered. Thus, the first kidnapping for ransom trial in the United Kingdom's contemporary legal history commenced with the victim's outcome remaining a mystery. The case was a media sensation, with the public curious to find out how a jury could find someone guilty of murder when there was no body to prove it. Both Arthur and Nismar Dean Hussain pleaded not guilty and went to trial at London's Old Bailey Criminal Court on Monday, September 14, 1970. In his five-hour opening address to a

packed courtroom, prosecution attorney general Sir Peter Rawlinson stated, this was a brutal and ruthless scheme to kidnap a wife and by menaces to extort from her husband a vast sum of money. Can you imagine the horror of a woman, one minute beside the fire waiting for her husband to return, and minutes later, gagged and trust, then driven away in the darkness? Sir Rawlinson went on to detail the days and weeks in which the Mackay family were subjected to a systematic series of threats via telephone and letter by the defendants, adding, we may infer that those who threatened to kill did kill. The court was told of Arthur Hussain's delusions of grandeur, which spawned his obsessive, yet

unachievable aspirations to become a millionaire. Sir Rawlinson alleged that the brothers hatched the plan to kidnap for ransom in late October 1969, after watching British journalist David Frost conduct a televised interview with Rupert Murdoch. During the interview, Rupert's recent takeover of the news of the world group was touched upon, including the multimillions he paid to secure its ownership. As Zem3 once explained over the phone to Alec Mackay, his target was originally intended to be Rupert's wife Anna. The prosecution alleged that in late December 1969, the brothers tailed Rupert Murdoch's Rolls Royce from the news of the world group office, with the intention of locating his private residence. Sir Rawlinson, quote,

and if that is what they did, they must have traced the vehicle to St Mary's house, Arthur Road, Wimbledon. That was not the home of the news of the world group chairman, Mr. Rupert Murdoch, but the home of the acting chairman, Mr. Alec Mackay. Throughout the 40 days of Muriel's disappearance, her abductor had made 18 phone calls and penned five letters to the Mackay family. The prosecution pointed out that from the moment police arrived to Rook's farm, there had been complete and utter silence from the otherwise talkative kidnapper. As soon as the Attorney General ended the opening address for the prosecution,

Nismedine Hussain's defense attorney Douglas Drakeott made a surprise announcement. He wished to make seven voluntary admissions on behalf of his client. They began with a visit to the Greater London Council on December 19, 1969, where Nismedine unsuccessfully attempted to obtain Rupert Murdoch's home address. Then, on February 1, 1970, the date of the first ransom drop attempt, he placed two handcrafted paper flowers near the intersection of Dane End and Cambridge Road. On February 6, 1970, during the second ransom drop attempt, he drove the Volvo to Gates garage at around 8pm to look for two suitcases, waiting around for about an hour before

sighting them on the pavement opposite the miniband. He then drove to a nearby pub in Bishop's Stortford, where his brother Arthur was drinking, arriving at about 10pm. Nismedine admitted he drove back to Gates garage at 10.47pm, and he also admitted that the note found in his pants pocket featuring the minivan's license plate number was in his handwriting. Although none of the admissions openly implicated Arthur Hussain in murals of duction or murder, the mere suggestion sent his defense counsel into immediate damage control. They explained to the court that although Nismedine was acknowledging some involvement in the crime, Arthur was not, and would continue to profess his innocence of all charges.

Regardless, Nismedine's revelations served as the beginning of a battle between the two defense teams to implicate the other brother. The ensuing conflict was advantageous to the prosecution, who argued that the brother's attempts to blame each other proved the guilt lay with both. The defense's argument hinged on whether or not the crown proved that Muriel's death was the result of murder. Arthur Hussain's defense attorney Barry Hudson stated, Although the defense primarily relied on the fact that no evidence of Muriel Mackay was recovered at Rooks Farm, the prosecution narrowed in on the evidence that was found elsewhere that linked directly back to the Hussain's property. The billhook, the elastoplast tape, the torn sheets

of note paper, the cigarette packet, the handcrafted flowers, and the Volvo. On October 6, 1970, after four hours deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of guilty on all counts for both Arthur and Nismedine Hussain. Just the seabag sure, quote, The kidnapping and confinement of Mrs. Mackay was cold-blooded and abominable. She was snatched from the security of her home, and so long as she remained alive, she was reduced to terrified distress. This crime will shock and revolt every right-minded person. The punishment must be such that law-abiding citizens may feel safe in their homes. Arthur Hussain was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Muriel Mackay,

with an additional 25 years for her kidnapping. Throughout the trial, references were made to Nismedine's unsettling behavior during police questioning, in which he expressed on multiple occasions a fear of Arthur and a desire to die. In response, the jury made a recommendation of leniency for Nismedine on the belief he was less a willing participant and more a reluctant accomplice in the crime, acting on the orders of his threatening older brother. Just as sure, quote, I am not sure whether you are in any degree less culpable, but the jury's view is that you were under the influence of your brother, and I have to regard the possibility that this was so. As such, Nismedine Hussain was sentenced

to life imprisonment for murder, but only given 15 years for kidnapping. Both brothers appealed based on their belief that the prosecution did not prove the crux of their case, that Muriel Mackay was taken to Rook's Farm where she was murdered, and that no other people may have been involved in the crime. On March 29, 1971, their applications were heard before the Court of Appeal, the presiding judges reminding the court that although no trace of Muriel was found at Rook's Farm, there was plenty of other evidence implicating the brothers in her death. The appellate judges dismissed the applications and ruled the sentence given to each brother was correct, as, quote, no more terrible crime could be conjured up.

Following the conviction of Arthur and Nismedine Hussain for the murder of Muriel Mackay, her husband fronted the media and stated, I wish to God I knew what happened to Muriel. All I want to know is where my wife has been buried so that I can go into place and flowers. In a desperate bid to obtain information about the whereabouts of his wife's remains to give her a proper burial, Alec Mackay wrote letters to both Arthur and Nismedine, but received no response. John Lisners, author of The Rise and Fall of the Murdoch Empire, visited Nismedine during his incarceration at Winston Green Prison in Birmingham. John was escorted by Arthur's wire felsa, who sought the location of Muriel to pass the information on to the Mackay family.

During this meeting, Nismedine spoke of Muriel's abduction, explaining that in the early evening of December 29, 1969, he and Arthur got drunk at the Victoria Sporting Club in London before heading off to conduct the kidnapping. When asked how Muriel died, Nismedine trembled with emotion, before stating that the prison governor had advised him not to reveal what they had done with Muriel's body. In November 1987, Arthur Hussain applied for parole as he approached his 20th year in prison. The parole board denied the application, deciding his case would be considered again in February 1993. In the intervening period, Arthur's health declined and he was transferred to Washworth Hospital in Liverpool for an undisclosed illness. He remained hospitalised

during February 1993, missing the date of his second parole hearing. He reapplied for a review in September 1994, but his request was denied by the Home Secretary. In 1996, Arthur filed a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights. He claimed the refusal to review his parole application was a breach of his rights, as he believed he had a high chance of being released as he had served enough time and presented no risk to society. The Human Rights Commission determined Arthur's complaint was manifestly ill-founded and ruled, quote, the commission unanimously declares the application inadmissible. Arthur Hussain died in prison in 2009.

Unlike his older brother, after serving just 20 years of his life sentence, Nismedine Hussain was granted parole and deported to his home country of Trinidad, where he faded away into obscurity. Nevertheless, the notoriety of the Hussain brothers resulted in life-like figures of the pair being created for the Madame to Swords Wax Museum in London. The popular tourist attraction once boasted an exhibition titled The Chamber of Horrors, which featured waxworks of infamous killers and historical figures, in which the models of Arthur and Nismedine Hussain were put on display.