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World's Most Notorious Killer is a new documentary series about infamous criminals. The first episode, The House of Horrors, focuses on Fred and Rose West and is available on Peacock. The couple was responsible for at least twelve brutal murders, including their daughter Heather.
They lured young women to their home in Gloucester, where they were abused, tortured, and killed. The Wests hid the bodies at their property, burying many under the floorboards or in the garden. This case is one of the most grotesque in British history.
Police began investigating the Wests in 1992 after allegations of child abuse surfaced from their children which eventually led to a full search of their home in 1994 uncovering multiple bodies and bringing the gruesome nature of their acts to light.
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Fred West confessed to the murders and implicated Rose, though she denied involvement. Fred died by su*cide in 1995 before his trial, while Rose was convicted of 10 murders that year and sentenced to life without parole.
World's Most Notorious Killer Episode 1: The West Murders
Background
Fred West, born in 1941, and Rosemary Letts, born in 1953, met in Cheltenham, England, and married in 1972. Their troubled pasts led to a deeply dysfunctional relationship.
Their home at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, known as the "House of Horrors," became the site of horrific acts. While Fred worked as a construction worker and Rose as a s*x worker, their seemingly ordinary life hid the grim reality of s*xual abuse, torture, and murder of family members and vulnerable young women they lured into their homes.
Investigation
The investigation into the Wests began in 1992 after one of their daughters hinted about abuse to a friend, triggering a police inquiry. Initially focused on allegations of child s*xual abuse the scope dramatically expanded when police obtained a search warrant in 1994.
Excavations at Cromwell Street revealed multiple human remains indicating a series of murders that had remained hidden for decades. As shown in World's Most Notorious Killers forensic examinations and personal items recovered at the site helped identify the victims leading to a wider probe into missing persons who had last been seen near the Wests' home.
Arrest
As shown in World's Most Notorious Killers Fred and Rose West were arrested in 1994 after the police found sufficient evidence of their crimes during the house search. Fred was charged with multiple counts of murder and Rose was initially arrested for s*x offenses.
As the investigation unfolded and more bodies were discovered Rose was also charged with murder. The gravity and scope of their crimes began to come to full light shocking the public and investigators alike.
Victims
The victims, as shown in World's Most Notorious Killers, were mostly young women, totaling at least 12, including their daughter Heather. Her 1987 disappearance raised suspicions about the couple. The victims were often lured to the West's home with promises of lodging or employment.
They underwent brutal torture before being murdered and buried in various locations around the house including the garden and under the floorboards. Many of the victims were dismembered and forensic evidence linked them directly to the West household.
Resolution
The first episode of World's Most Notorious Killers saw Fred West confess to the murders claiming sole responsibility to absolve Rose but hanged himself in prison in 1995 before his trial could proceed. Rose West was tried and found guilty of ten murders in 1995 and received a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The trial detailed their gruesome acts and the overwhelming physical evidence against Rose despite her denial of involvement. The house at Cromwell Street was later demolished and the case remains one of the most disturbing examples of serial murder in the UK.
Catch the first episode of World's Most Notorious Killers on Peacock.
