The mother of a teenage girl brutally murdered by the Suffolk Strangler has been denied her tragic last wish, dying just weeks before the killer finally confessed to the crime. Lorinda Hall, 70, passed away on December 18th last year at Ipswich Hospital, after waiting more than a quarter of a century to hear the truth about her daughter's death.
Decades-Long Wait for Justice Ends Too Late
On Monday morning, serial killer Steve Wright dramatically changed his plea at the Old Bailey and admitted to kidnapping "by force or fraud" and murdering 17-year-old Victoria Hall on September 19th, 1999. This confession came just 46 days after Lorinda Hall's death, denying her the closure she had desperately sought for over two decades.
A Family's Heartbreaking Loss
Victoria Hall was described by her family as a "much loved" daughter who would be "greatly missed by all her family and friends." Her father Graham Hall had previously expressed the family's anguish, stating: "It won't bring Victoria back if we find out who did it but it would give us closure."
Lorinda Hall was laid to rest last week at Seven Hills Crematorium in Nacton near Ipswich. She had once poignantly reflected on the impact of her daughter's murder, saying the killer had taken "a large part of our hearts away." She added bitterly about the perpetrator: "They have had 20 years where they should have been feeling guilt and horror about what they've done."
The Night That Changed Everything
Victoria was last seen in the early hours of September 19th, 1999, after enjoying a night out with friends at the Bandbox nightclub in Felixstowe, Suffolk. The 17-year-old from Trimley St Mary was walking home with her best friend when they stopped at a takeaway before saying goodbye at 2.30am, just 300 yards from Victoria's home.
Her parents woke the next morning to discover their daughter had not returned home and immediately alerted the police. Five days later, Victoria's naked body was discovered in a ditch near Stowmarket, approximately 25 miles from where she was last seen. None of her clothing or personal possessions have ever been recovered.
A Life Full of Promise Cut Short
At the time of her murder, Victoria was studying for her A-levels at Orwell High School in Felixstowe with plans to attend university to study sociology. Those who knew her described the teenager as "perfect" and someone who was "always laughing and joking."
Her father Graham had spoken in 2019 about their protracted wait for answers, maintaining: "It's 20 years, it's a long while but there's still hope." That hope was ultimately realized, but tragically too late for Victoria's mother to witness.
A Notorious Killer's Admission
Steve Wright, now 67, is already serving a whole life sentence for the murder of five women in 2006. His appearance at the Old Bailey on Monday marked a significant development in a case that has haunted Suffolk for decades. The confession brings legal resolution to a crime that devastated a family and community, though it arrives shadowed by the poignant timing of Lorinda Hall's recent death.
The case highlights the enduring pain experienced by victims' families who must wait years, sometimes decades, for judicial processes to unfold. While the legal system has now secured an admission of guilt, the human cost remains immeasurable for those left behind.
