Vicksburg Daily News -
VICKSBURG, MS. – A groundbreaking ceremony was held this morning for the new jail. The property, situated at 1134 Highway 80, once housed the Pinewood Motel, which had been abandoned since 1979. By 2019, the county had demolished the remaining structures and drained a pond located on the premises. “To say that I’m glad this […]
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DEBORAH Wood was just twenty years old when she was tragically murdered in 1996.
The case has been unsolved for decades and is re-examined in Channel 4’s In The Footsteps of Killers. But who was Deborah and how did she die?
Deborah Wood was a 20-year-old factory worker from Leeds, who lived in the Holbeck area of the city.
She was tragically murdered in 1996, after disappearing for ten days.
The case remains open and her family is still waiting for someone to be brought to justice for her death.
Deborah was last seen leaving Big Lil’s Public House in Leeds city centre on January 4, 1996.
She was enjoying a drink with her dad and some friends at 5pm, before her father left.
That was the last time Deborah was seen alive, as she went missing that night.
Tragically, her body was found ten days later by a fire crew.
They arrived at the scene of a fire at Burnley Railway Station to find Deborah’s body.
Due to the extent of her burns, she had to be identified through her dental records and DNA.
No killer has been caught and prosecuted for Deborah’s murder, but her brother once again called for justice on the 28th anniversary of her death.
He blamed John Taylor, the murderer of 16-year-old Leanne Tiernan, for his sister’s death as he pointed out the similarities in their murders.
Speaking to the Sun, Mr Wood said: “I’ve been thinking about writing to him asking for answers.
“He’s only in Wakefield prison – it’s not more than seven miles away.
“I’d say to him ‘you’ve got nothing to lose – just tell me’.
“He’s not getting out so what’s he got to lose?
“He’s got nothing to gain from not telling the truth.”
He added: “If you look at all the circumstantial evidence, there is a lot to link Taylor to my sister’s murder.
“But the biggest thing is that bar staff at Big Lil’s have confirmed that Taylor used to drink there.
“He used to go around the tables being a pest to women and causing a nuisance.
“So we know he was a regular in the same pub where Deborah was last seen.
“To me, that’s just too much of a coincidence.”
In January 2021, police launched a fresh appeal to find Deborah’s killer.
Detective Inspector Paul Conroy of West Yorkshire Police’s Operation Recall team said: “This crime may now be 25 years old but time doesn’t diminish our resolve to bring the person or persons responsible for this horrendous crime to justice.
“And likewise her grieving family want answers about what happened to Deborah.
“I would appeal to anyone who knows anything about this case to examine the conscience and come forward – your information could make all the difference.
“Deborah was given no dignity in death with her body being burned to the extent that she was only identified using dental records and DNA.
“Previous attempts to bring her killer to justice, including an appeal and reconstruction on BBC Crimewatch, have so far failed.
“Hopefully, with the passage of time, people may feel more comfortable or able to come forward and tell us what happened.
“As with all unsolved murder enquiries the case remains under investigation and a thorough forensic review remains ongoing.”
He urged anyone with information to “examine their conscience”
In The Footsteps Of Killers is a true crime series hosted by Emilia Fox and Professor David Wilson.
The episode covering Deborah’s case will air on Monday, September 16, 2024.
Viewers who miss the live airing of the show can catch up on Channel 4’s streaming service.
The documentary first aired in January 2023.
THE tragic murder of 25-year-old Melanie Hall has never been solved.
But who was suspected of murdering the nurse and leaving her in a bag to be found 13 years later? Here’s everything you need to know.
Melanie Hall, 25, was last seen alive in Cadillacs nightclub, Bath, on June 9, 1996.
That night, she vanished without a trace.
Alarm bells were raised when she didn’t show up to work at the Royal United Hospital on June 11.
Her mum also worked at the hospital and phoned Melanie’s dad to see where she was, but it soon became clear that something had gone wrong.
Police trawled through 96 hours of CCTV footage, but there was nothing on film showing Melanie leaving the nightclub or walking through the streets of Bath that were covered by cameras.
Tragically, 13 years after she vanished without a trace, Melanie’s remains were discovered buried on the edge of the M5 motorway in October 2009.
A worker discovered them while he was cleaning on the side of a slip road near Thornbury, South Gloucestershire.
Despite the discovery leading to a breakthrough for police investigating the case — they were still no closer to catching her killer.
By 2019, those investigating Melanie’s disappearance and death had made 11 arrests — although no one has ever been charged with her murder.
Suspects include taxi driver Christopher Halliwell, whose victim Sian O’Callaghan was murdered with a blunt instrument after leaving a club in Swindon in March 2011.
However, Avon and Somerset Police ruled him out.
The serial killer Levi Bellfield — whose three victims between 2002 and 2004 include Surrey schoolgirl Milly Dowler — was also in the frame.
He has not been charged with anything related to the case.
The police even wondered if Suzy Lamplugh suspect John Cannan — serving three life sentences for the murder of Shirley Banks in October 1987 — could have conspired from prison to have a rapist find Melanie at the Bath club.
I feel incredibly sad for Mel, that she never got to have her life… a career, love, the joy of having children etc
Melanie's sister, Dominique
Speaking about Melanie’s death, her sister Dominique told The Sun: “I feel really cross that Mel lost her life and we had ours turned upside down by someone else.
“I wonder if they have any thought or compassion for what they have done, I doubt it.
“I feel incredibly sad for Mel, that she never got to have her life… a career, love, the joy of having children etc.
“I hate not knowing what happened.
“I know she had significant injuries, but I hope and pray that whatever happened it was quick for her, or that there was only one person involved not a gang or something awful like that.
“Obviously, I have no idea what happened to her.
“All I know is that she was incredibly kind and trusting and I’ve often said that, because of this, she might have trusted the wrong person that night.”
Melanie’s case is still open and no person has been brought to justice for her murder.
An e-fit was released as part of a public appeal in 1996 which was said to have been of a man who was with Melanie in Cadillacs nightclub.
The detective superintendent leading the investigation has said that the police are still interested in finding out who this man is as it is still a focus of their appeal.
The police also received reports of a woman, potentially matching Melanie’s description, arguing with a man around the corner from the nightclub entrance, between 1.45am and 2am.
Channel 5 is delving into the mysteries of the case in their documentary Body In The Bag: The Murder Of Melanie Hall.
It will air on September 16, 2024, at 10pm.
Viewers who miss the live showing can catch up with the case on Channel 5’s streaming service My5.
I believe that Melanie did know her killer
Supt James Riccio
Supt James Riccio, who is leading the investigation into Melanie’s murder hopes that the Channel 5 documentary about the crime may encourage people to come forward with information.
He said: “Just one small piece of information could solve this case and help us uncover the truth about what happened to Melanie that night.
“My team and I continue to be humbled by the courage, bravery, and support that Melanie’s family have shown over the years and we desperately want to find answers for them.
“We will always be led by the evidence but based on the information we have amassed and meticulously reviewed, based on the 6,000 plus investigative actions, 2,000 statements, the accounts, the intelligence, the deposition location, I believe that Melanie did know her killer.”
The documentary first aired in 2023.
