Serial killer Levi Bellfield has reportedly confessed to the 1996 murders of Lin Russell and her six-year-old daughter Megan in Chillenden, Kent. The confession, described as detailed and containing information not previously in the public domain, could potentially clear Michael Stone, who is currently serving a life sentence for the killings.
At a press conference in London, Stone's lawyer Paul Bacon revealed that Bellfield confessed to a fellow inmate, describing how he encountered the victims, attacked them with a hammer, and his motivation. Bacon also stated that an independent witness saw Bellfield near the crime scene at the time of the murders, and forensic evidence from the scene corroborates the confession.
Michael Stone, 56, has consistently maintained his innocence. His sister, Barbara Stone, expressed hope that the new evidence would lead to his release. She noted that Bellfield disclosed intimate, unpublished details of the crime scene while in prison, adding fresh doubt to her brother's conviction.
The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) confirmed it is actively investigating the case. Bacon urged the CCRC to refer the matter to the Court of Appeal urgently, and called for an independent police force to investigate the fresh evidence, expressing concerns about Kent Police handling the case.
Barbara Stone said the development has given the family hope after 20 years of disappointment. She described the emotional toll of her brother's incarceration, stating, 'Every day I wake up and the first thing I think about is that he's in a prison cell.'
