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The Murders and Investigation
Between 1963 and 1965, Hindley and Brady abducted and murdered several victims in and around Manchester. The bodies of a number of victims were buried on Saddleworth Moor, a remote area that later became central to the police search operation.
The investigation gained momentum in October 1965 following the murder of Edward Evans, whose death was witnessed by David Smith, Hindley’s brother-in-law. Smith reported the crime to police, leading to the arrest of Brady and Hindley.
Searches of their home uncovered physical evidence linking them to the crimes, and investigators subsequently connected them to earlier disappearances.
Court proceedings in 1966 resulted in both Brady and Hindley being convicted of multiple murders. Their trial attracted intense national attention and extensive media coverage.
Sentencing and Imprisonment
Following conviction, both defendants received life sentences. Hindley spent the remainder of her life in prison, repeatedly applying for parole. Successive Home Secretaries rejected her release, citing the severity of the crimes and the continuing public interest in the case.
Brady was later declared criminally insane and transferred to a secure psychiatric hospital, where he remained until his death in 2017. Hindley died in custody in 2002 at the age of 60.
