In an exclusive revelation, the older brother of convicted serial killer Steve Wright has detailed the dramatic confrontation that finally forced the Suffolk Strangler to confess to a sixth murder after spending decades maintaining his innocence.
The Confession That Finally Came
Dave Wright, a building boss from Suffolk, has spoken for the first time about how he pressured his younger brother Steve Wright to admit his guilt in the murder of 17-year-old Victoria Hall. Steve Wright, already serving a life sentence for killing five women in Ipswich, was facing trial for Hall's 1999 murder when his brother intervened.
"Because I told him to!" Dave Wright declared when asked why his brother finally confessed. The breakthrough came during a series of prison phone calls where Dave confronted Steve with damning DNA evidence that police had gathered against him.
The Emotional Confrontation
Dave Wright described the pivotal moment when he learned about the DNA evidence against his brother. "I said: 'You're guilty! You've got to confess and put these families out of their hell'," he revealed. This direct challenge came after Steve Wright had spent years convincing his family of his innocence, even prompting his brother to work tirelessly on a failed appeal bid.
The building boss explained his approach: "I told him I would not turn my back on him but said 'the second you lie to me, me and you are done and I won't support you whatsoever'. He put his hands up and said 'yeah'. Do the right thing and plead guilty."
A Victim's Family Denied Closure
Dave Wright expressed profound sadness that the confession came too late for Victoria Hall's mother, who had died months before Steve Wright changed his plea. Victoria was murdered in Felixstowe in 1999 after leaving a nightclub, with her naked body discovered in a water-filled ditch five days later.
"Victoria's mum had just died so she'll never know," Dave Wright lamented. "So plead guilty. That's where it all came from!"
The DNA Evidence That Changed Everything
The case took a decisive turn when police approached Dave Wright at his workplace approximately three years ago to collect his DNA sample. "I gave them the DNA with no qualms about that because I've done nothing wrong," he stated. However, this development eventually led to the revelation of incriminating evidence against his brother.
Dave Wright confronted Steve about the evidence: "If you've got DNA on a 17-year-old child who was stripped, raped and dumped in a ditch like a bit of garbage. Your DNA's on it. Stop f*****g about. Stop putting the family through the hell."
Decades of Denial and Doubt
Steve Wright had maintained his innocence since his 2006 conviction for the murders of five women in Ipswich. His brother described twenty years of uncertainty: "We've been going through this since 2006, so it's 20 years of 'did he, didn't he?' I even gave him the benefit of the doubt after he was charged with the last murder."
Even when facing trial for Victoria Hall's murder, Steve Wright continued to deny involvement, telling his brother: "I never did it. They can do whatever they want, they won't find any evidence. I didn't do it, I didn't do it."
The Killer's Explanation
When Dave Wright finally asked his brother why he committed the murders, Steve Wright offered a brief, cryptic explanation: "Dave, I was in a dark place, and I don't want to talk about it any more, and that's it. Done."
A Troubled Background
Steve Wright's childhood was marked by instability and violence. Born in Erpingham, Norfolk in 1958, he was one of four children raised primarily by their "violent" late father Conrad, a military policeman. The family moved frequently due to their father's career, and Steve's mother left when he was eight years old.
Wright's adult life included working as a steward on the luxury liner QE2, where he was filmed in Thailand's red light district for a television documentary. He married Di Cole, whom he met on the QE2, but the relationship eventually ended in divorce.
From Luxury Liners to Local Pubs
After returning from Thailand penniless following a reported marriage to a local woman, Wright was taken in by his father and stepmother. He later worked as a barman at the Brook Hotel in Felixstowe before being dismissed for theft, resulting in community service. Crucially, a DNA sample taken during that conviction eventually matched evidence from the Ipswich murder victims.
Wright also managed the Ferry Boat pub in Norwich's red light district with his wife and worked as a forklift truck driver at Felixstowe docks. Despite his crimes, family members described him as gentle and considerate in personal interactions.
Prison Correspondence Reveals Inner Turmoil
While awaiting trial, Steve Wright wrote to his father from prison, expressing hurt over his father's public doubts: "You said in the paper that when you looked into my eyes you would know whether I was guilty or not. That really hurt me. It was like a knife in the heart for you to even contemplate that I could be capable of such a terrible crime."
In the same letter, he revealed his psychological struggle: "If I start to fall apart at the seams I don't think I could cope in here. I need to be strong to cope with this nightmare."
Now, with his confession finally secured, Dave Wright faces the grim reality of his brother's crimes and the knowledge that there may be more revelations to come about the Suffolk Strangler's murderous past.
