Nicola and Kevin Wells are the parents of Holly, who was murdered along with her best friend on August 4 2002. Huntley's parents enrolled their son in Immingham Comprehensive at age 13. Summary information is updated to reflect amendments since the report was initially filed. Huntley would later inform investigators he had taped bin liners around his feet prior to carrying the children's bodies from his vehicle to the irrigation ditch. [170] Within four weeks of their acquaintance,[199] she had moved into Huntley's Barton-upon-Humber flat, and the couple informed relatives of their eagerness to start a family. This revealed that the car had also been recently, extensively cleaned, but traces of a mixture of brick dust, chalk and concrete of the same type used to pave the road leading to where the girls' bodies would be discovered were found around the wheel arches and on and around the pedals. Huntley was later transferred to London's Belmarsh prison. Staff and agencies. [14] His employers helped him to get the tenancy of 5 College Close,[208] and he and Carr moved to Soham in late September. [197] She later legally changed her surname to Carr in an apparent effort to distance herself from her father. Chris Young - PA Images/PA Images/Getty Images, schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were murdered. [169] Shortly after their separation, Huntley's wife formed a relationship with and later married Huntley's younger brother, Wayne. The girls were big David Beckham fans and were wearing matching red Manchester United tops with his name on when . [119], To determine Huntley's state of mental health, he was detained under Section 48 of the Mental Health Act for almost two months at Rampton Secure Hospital. He would also emotionally blackmail his partner if he detected any signs of her developing resistance to his control or indicating a desire to leave him. Songs by: Van Dyke Parks. "[67] Lawrence immediately reported the discoveries to police. Referring to Wells in the past tense, Carr stated, "She was just lovely, really lovely",[93] before making a direct appeal to the children: "Just get on the phone and just come home. [3] She received a three-and-a-half year prison sentence for conspiring with Huntley to pervert the course of justice. [180] The youngest girl Huntley is known to have raped was 12 years old, with another girl he had attempted to rape being 11. At this hearing, Carr was informed by Principal Crown Prosecutor Marion Bastin this charge carried a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Holly wouldve been an auntie to her brothers children. An overnight examination revealed the two mounds of earth to be badger setts. [82][n 7] These conclusions were physically supported by an analysis of the shoots of nettles at the crime scene which enabled forensic ecologist and palynologist Patricia Wiltshire to estimate that the bodies had been placed at this location almost two weeks before. The case reached court, but the prosecution offered no evidence, resulting in a judge ordering the offence to lie on file. [105] Investigators had stated on 7 August they strongly believed the children had been abducted,[39] and announced their strong suspicions that both girls had been murdered on this date. [216], Huntley was transferred from Wakefield prison to Frankland prison on 23 January 2008. Most watched News videos. But where are Holly & Jessicas families now? [106][107], During initial questioning, Huntley refused to answer questions and appeared evasive, confused, and emotionally detached, occasionally drooling during police attempts to question him in an effort to feign mental illness. Nicola and Kevin Wells are the parents of Holly, who was murdered along with her best friend on August 4 2002. [81], The inquest into the children's deaths was held at Shire Hall, Cambridge, on 23 August 2002. The inspiration for dedicating a flower to the children's memory came from a poem read aloud at the memorial service at Ely Cathedral on 30 August 2002 by the father of Wells, titled Soham's Rose. We slept on it for a long . In particular to assess the effectiveness of the relevant intelligence-based record keeping, the vetting practices in those forces since 1995 and information sharing with other agencies, and to report to the Home Secretary on matters of local and national relevance and make recommendations as appropriate. Investigators would later determine Wells and Chapman had most likely been attackedand possibly murderedin the dining room of College Close. The Wells family had moved out of the house they raised Holly and her younger brother Oliver in, as the memories were too painful. Girl who thinks she might be Madeleine shunned by family for giving hope to McCanns, Ant and Dec defend Saturday Night Takeaway pranks in wake of Ofcom complaints. Wednesday 17 December 2003. The killer's girlfriend, Maxine Carr, who was the girls' teaching . What happened to Elisabeth and her children? "[45] A young woman named Karen Greenwood also reported seeing the girls walking "arm in arm" along College Road about two minutes later. [78] This service was attended by about 2,000 people, including the girls' classmates, teachers and the six family liaison officers who had provided 24-hour service for both families. In 2015 it was reported that Nicola and Kevin had moved back into the home that held so many precious memories of their beloved daughter. A taxi driver stated he had seen him "thrashing his arms" as he struggled with two young girls inside his vehicle as he drove on the A142 south of Soham towards Newmarket around the time that the girls were last seen. The girls' bodies were discovered on 17 August 2002. Huntley, 30, who is serving life for the double child killings of Holly . "[79], An online book of condolence attracted more than 31,000 messages of grief and sympathy[80] and on 24 August, football clubs across Britain held a minute's silence before games. [108] This left police with no option but to refer Huntley to a mental hospital to undergo an extensive psychological evaluation. Coward concluded his closing argument by requesting the jury deliver a verdict of manslaughter in relation to both deaths.[150]. They were determined to be among the five per cent of couples who stay together after losing a child to murder. She further explained her focus had therefore been to protect Huntley's job and reputation, adding that had she known of Huntley's guilt, she would never have attempted to provide him with a false alibi, stating to her counsel: "If, for a minute, I [had known] or believed he'd murdered either of those girls I would have been horrified. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The reason for this decision had been that both bodies were too extensively decomposed and damaged by fire to enable a conclusive determination of either the actual cause of death or if either girl had been subjected to a sexual assault. Performed by Frankie Goes to . Two decades on, where are their parents now, and how have they moved on from the awful tragedy? [239], The inquiry also severely criticised Humberside Police for deleting information relating to the previous criminal allegations against Huntley, and also criticised Cambridgeshire Police for not following standard vetting guidelines. Now, almost 20 years on, Channel 5 tonight (March 10) continues its documentary series Soham: The Murder of Holly & Jessica. He was never charged with this offence, but subsequently confessed to this attack in April 2007. In 2002, two 10-year-old girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman were at a barbecue at the Wells' home located in Soham, United Kingdom. The Soham murders were a double child murder committed in Soham, Cambridgeshire, England on 4 August 2002.The victims were two 10-year-old girls, Holly Marie Wells and Jessica Aimee Chapman, who were lured into the home of a local resident and school caretaker, Ian Kevin Huntley, who subsequently murdered the childrenlikely via asphyxiationbefore disposing of their bodies in an . We do chat about her quite regularly, which I think is a very nice thing. She had shunned the company of boys as a child, but as a teenager cravedbut seldom receivedthe attention of boys her age, occasionally leading to bouts of binge eating[190] in addition to her developing the habit of self-harming. [202] Noting how Carr often became flirtatious when she consumed alcohol, Huntley sought to minimise any opportunity for her to drink or otherwise socialise outside his presence for fear of her cheating on him with other males. Carr pleaded not guilty to the charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice and assisting an offender. Police officers and members of the local . [38], Maxine Carr was born Maxine Ann Capp. OLIVER KOUMBAS JOANNE LEES TAMZIN LILLYWHITE JADE LITTLE . Referencing Carr's conscious efforts to deceive the police and media alike, Latham stated: "She had the prospect of marriage, a baby, a nice home and a new start. [181][n 13], Following his arrest, several former girlfriends and sexual partners stated that Huntley presented himself as a charming and considerate man in the early stages of a relationship, but would become domineering and violent upon having established control. [74], The following day, Cambridgeshire Deputy Chief Constable Keith Hodder released a press statement to the media confirming the discovery of the children's bodies, adding that both families had been informed of the developments and that although positive formal identification would take several days, investigators were as "certain as [they] possibly could be" the bodies were those of Wells and Chapman. Holly Marie Wells and her Best Friend Jessica Aimee Chapman went Missing on 4th August 2002 as they were walking along a Street in Soham, England. Ian Huntley and Maxine Carr are taken in to help police with their enquiries, [226] She was given a secret identity to protect her from threats of attack from vengeful members of the public[227] in addition to being provided with a new home in an undisclosed location. The costs of imposing this order have been reported by differing tabloid newspapers as being between 1million and 50million. Ian Huntley accuses ex-girlfriend Maxine Carr of being a liar but hopes that she will move on after the murders of Jessica and Holly Source: Cambridgeshire Police Who is Maxine Carr? Ten years after the murders, in 2012, Hollys parents Kevin and Nicola Wells opened up about the death of their daughter for the first time, via the Daily Mail. The parents of murdered Soham girls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman have been visited by police investigating phone-hacking by journalists. Responding to questioning from her defence counsel, Michael Hubbard QC, Carr briefly discussed her initial acquaintance with Huntley, their subsequent relationship and plans to start a family once they both obtained financial stability before Hubbard directed his questioning toward her return to Soham on 6 August and her discovering Huntley had recently washed their bedding and had evidently cleaned sections of the house. [39], On 12 August, police launched a media appeal to trace the driver of a four-door, dark green saloon car. On 14 September 2005, while an inmate at HM Prison Wakefield, he was scalded with boiling water by convicted spree killer Mark Hobson. [29] Over 260 registered sex offenders across the UK - including 15 high-risk paedophiles - were also questioned; all were eliminated from the investigation. He would typically use guile or force to achieve his desires. Carr was charged with two counts of assisting an offender and one count of perverting the course of justice. EVA REISTAD. It was not until 8 p.m. that Holly's parents found out she was missing. Jessica had just returned from a family holiday and wanted to catch up with her friend and give her a gift that she bought for her. . We had a flood. [163] Huntley began work at Soham Village College on 26 November. He then speculated Huntley's defence counsel may try and argue that he had been confused, commenting: "In that case, they would have to consider [Huntley's] behaviour over the fortnight between the girls' disappearance and their bodies being found. The parents of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman have long been commended for their dignity and grace during what can only be described as unimaginable heartbreak. [85][86], In the weeks following the disappearances, Huntley reluctantly[87] granted several television interviews to media outlets such as Sky News and the regional BBC News programme, BBC Look East, speaking of the general shock in the local community and his dismay at being the last person to see the children alive. She was born in Soham, Cambridgeshire, England. Read more: Ian Huntleys jail term run-in with Yorkshire Ripper, suicide attempts and a near-fatal stabbing. Stars: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Connie Booth. We will never forget Holly but life does move on it has to. Available Until: 05 September 2026. "[143], Questioned about the efforts she had made to mislead both police and the media to divert suspicion from her partner, Carr emphasised she had only lied to police, the media and "anyone who asks" to protect Huntley, who had repeatedly assured her of his innocence of any wrongdoing and his fear of being "fitted up"[144] by police for the girls' disappearance should they discover the 1998 rape allegation made against him. Locals would rally around the families of the girls and dedicate hours of their time searching for them . It was one, almost two years before we found each other again, he continued, but grief gives you a different sense of the passage of time and it slipped by unnoticed. As Kevin says in the ITV documentary, he and Nicola were determined to be among the 5 per cent of couples who stay together following the bereavement of a murdered child. In this instance, a woman was raped and Huntleyby this stage suspected by police as being a serial sex offenderwas interviewed. [17], Prosecutors at Huntley's trial contended he had lured the children into his house with a likely sexual motivation, but investigators found no evidence of premeditation in relation to the murders. At the time, he said: After losing Holly we both witnessed and experienced the effects that bereavement and the grieving process can have on your life. We suggest that this whole business in the house was motivated by something sexual. [222][223], In April 2007, Huntley confessed to having sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl he had dragged into an orchard in 1997. [69] However, prior to his trial, a criminal profile had resulted in his being ruled by an eminent criminal psychologist as a "latent, predatory paedophile"[175] who had lured Wells and Chapman into his home in a moment of opportunism. These disclosures revealed that not only had police failed to pursue numerous previous criminal complaints of sexual offences against underage girls and young women by Huntley, but he had then secured a job in Soham allowing him access to children. August 4th, 2002: Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, wearing red Manchester United shirts, go missing from their homes in Soham, Cambridgeshire, eastern England, after last being seen at a family . [208] The site where 5 College Close once stood is now a vacant patch of grass. The Soham murders were a double child murder committed in Soham, Cambridgeshire, England on 4 August 2002. He hasn't done it! The last piece of footage of Wells and Chapman depicts the children walking onto a car park on the grounds of Soham Village College. Private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, working for the . "[90], Discussing the personalities of the girls, Carr described Wells as being the "more feminine" of the two, adding that Chapman was "more of a tomboy"[91] and that on one occasion, she had jokingly remarked to Chapman how, unlike many of her friends, she seldom wore a skirt. [145] She further claimed to have referred to Wells and Chapman using past tense merely because she had worked with the children in the past. [82], In his opening statement on behalf of the Crown, prosecutor Richard Latham QC described the last day of the friends' lives and how, by "pure chance", they had happened to pass by Huntley's home at a time when Carr was not present. The best friends, who were both just ten years old, were attending a barbeque . Oliver Wells was 12 when Holly . 13 days later after their disappearance their bodies were found on August 17th 2002 in a wooded area in LakenHeath Suffolk 10 Miles from Soham where the two Girls lived. [161], At both primary and secondary school, Huntley was an average scholar. A further two part, 60-minute documentary, commissioned by Channel 5, Channel 5 first broadcast the three-episode drama, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 18:00. I just said she weren't very good as she hadn't got the job and they just says please tell her that we're very sorry and off they walked; in the direction of the library over there. The girls had been playing together at . [59], On 16 August, twelve days after the children's disappearance, Huntley and Carr were first questioned by police. It was one, almost two years before we found each other again, but grief gives you a different sense of the passage of time and it slipped by unnoticed.. The findings also suggested a national system should be implemented for police forces to share intelligence information, and that all police forces should follow a clear code of practice on record-keeping. [183] Huntley severely restricted and supervised any contact she held with her family or social acquaintances. Soham is a small town and civil parish located in the east of the university city Cambridge, in the United Kingdom. Maxine Carr is found not guilty of helping Ian Huntley in relation to the deaths of the girls but guilty of lying to the police about what happened. [160], Huntley was a timid child, and something of a mother's boy. When Huntley became aware of Clift's presence, he abruptly closed the boot. [50], In July 1998, police were notified that Huntley had sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl in September 1997, having also threatened to kill the child if she informed her mother. Runtime: 92 minutes. Leslie, meanwhile, was due to start work at a new engineering job on Monday August 5 the day after his daughter and her friend went missing. The couple married at Grimsby Register Office on 28 January 1995. Directors: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones. Minutes after their daughter's 8:30p.m. curfew had expired, Nicola Wells phoned the Chapman residence to ask if the girls were there, only to learn Leslie and Sharon Chapman were worried that their youngest daughter had not returned home. [9], Following several weeks of mistreatment, Huntley's wife announced her intention to leave him.