John Christie felt alive and in control after his first murder. It's no surprise that he would want to recreate that feeling. So he did. Over and over and over. And the bodies started to pile up at 10 Rillington Place.
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This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Due to the graphic nature of this killers crimes listener discretion is advised. This episode includes discussions of murder, rape and assault. We advise extreme caution for children under thirteen december fourteenth. Nineteen. Fifty two, the mood at ten remington place was
work and more unpleasant than ever. John and Ethel Christie had a new landlord and several new neighbours. All
whom were making their lives are living hell. There was no
at all hours of the new tenants, partied late into the night worse. Yet this new crop of renters seem to take pleasure in antagonizing, Christy's ethel was
her wits end and on the verge of a nervous breakdown, depressed and terrified. She
spend all day indoors, crying afraid that
Neighbours might hurt her or worse. John Christie hated their neighbours to, after all,
refused to show him the respect he felt he deserved. Instead, they mocked him not unlike the kids he'd known at school, but what really
he bugged christie about the situation was that his depressed wife was always home in constant need of attention. Every time he tried to relax with a book or a cup of tea,
authors. Sobs interrupted him christie felt trapped. He had urges that needed attention to one
that word darker and more sinister than Ethel's anxiety, but with her crowding
him at every moment it was impossible to find relief. Something had to give christie. Was it
killer, so he knew there was an answer to his problem, but he
also knew his limitations. He couldn't just get rid.
the neighbors causing Ethel's fragile state and if he couldn't kill the ones responsible for his wife's misery. The only thing left was to end it for her once and for all on gregg pulsing.
This is serial killers, a spotify original from podcast every episode we dive into the minds of madness of serial killers. Today, we're finishing our
Get john reginald Christie who terrorized london of nineteen. Forty six fifties, I'm here with my co host vanessa richardson high everyone.
confined episodes of serial killers and all other spotify originals from par cast for free on spotify, less time recovered. Christy's monday in childhood and his transition from petty criminal took
old blooded killer today will learn about the vicious killing esprit that earned christie. The name the monster of rulings in place and find out about the chance
innovation that exposed his crimes to the world
We ve got all that in more coming up stay with us. This episode
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After forty four years of trying and failing I just about everything he'd ever done, John Reginald Christie finally found his true calling murder. We don't know that
christy plan to killed twenty one year old, ruth first in august of nineteen, forty three or if he panicked and just snapped whatever the cost
is the murderer awakened something inside him. It took care of an itch that is petty crimes had been unable to scratch. He'd spent most of his life feeling weak and powerless. Now, for the first time ever, he was
in control, and there was no turning back, but while he basked in the glow of his twisted discovery, life continued much as it ever had
its own clear. Why? But, in december of nineteen, forty three christie left his job as a police officer, but he wasn't out of work for long
because almost immediately he found a position as a clerk and driver at a factory that manufactured electrical parts. Molly the carpet
area one afternoon he met thirty two year old, muriel iii and the pair struck up a friendship. She told christie about her difficult childhood. Her mother died when
he was six and she rarely saw her father it most people be stories, might illicit sympathy, but that's not how Christie worked. Instead,
he sends tell vulnerable unimpressionable muriel was both characteristics, made her an easy target for a predator, like him still
Christy took his time getting to know Muriel even inviting arduous apartment for tee, but this wife Ethel at some point, muriel confined
de Christie that she had some health concerns after hearing that he knew just how to proceed. Christie have a fair amount of time in hospitals dealing with his own.
the issues, so he had an extensive knowledge of illness and treatment, at least that's what he told Muriel. He convinced that he could find a cure for her ailments.
All she had to do was come to his house, preferably when
Ethel was away so they could have privacy Muriel accepted the invitation, having no reason not to trust christie. After all, he didn't you
stick to his wife and given her valuable medical advice already, his intention seemed pure plus he'd, never behave like anything less than a perfect gentlemen, but all that was about to change. On october, seventh, nineteen, forty four christie powdered around his kitchen, creating a strange concoction.
He attached to rubber pipes to a glass jar, one led to avail of perfumed water. The other two
gas main, he watched the jar carefully
His reverie was broken by a knock at the door. It was Muriel. Ethel was after the,
to noon- and she was there for his help, just like he promised christie letter into the kitchen and instructed her too,
hail from the glass jar sitting on the table. Muriel did just that and quickly lost consciousness. That's when Christie picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. Despite what he said, he had no intention.
Is healing her. He placed muriel on the bed and raped her. Then, while she was still out cold, he wrapped a rope around her neck and pulled a tight until she stopped
the think looking down at her body christie experienced the same intoxicating feeling of power and control that he'd felt only once before when he'd killed. Ruth first vanessa is going to take over in the psychology here and throughout
episode as a reminder: she's not a licence, psychologists just psychiatrist, but we have done a lot of research for the show, thanks grand according to psychology
Helena hockin her strangulation heightens the sense of control and power killers have over their victim for one thing,
it requires the murderer to be physically near the victim death is quite literally
in their hands with that in mind
and it's not unusual that christie, a man who only felt strong and capable when taking someone's life, chose to
angle muriel. It may also explained his decision to subdue
using gas with her unconscious.
He could do whatever he wanted without facing any resistance after killing, her christie buried muriel
body in the back garden at ten willing to place. Sadly, no one investigated her disappearance because her family assume she died in the ongoing work.
Although murals death went unnoticed by everyone else, it had a profound effect on Christie, he'd, planned and executed. What he believed was a perfect murder and he couldn't wait to do it again, but the forty five year old understood that rushing to his gets killed
risky, so he bite. It is time feeling temporarily satiated the memory of me
feels murder fresh in his mind, however, just because he was laying low, that doesn't mean life returned to anything that can be described as normal,
during this period, Christie started having an affair with a woman named gladys jones, whose husband was off fighting in world war. Two, it seems that Christie had no intention of harming thirty three year old gladys, maybe
thought. She was too clever to manipulate like muriel or maybe, but something else entirely whatever
reason. The affair was purely sexual for christie, but he's funding
Last very long. In the winter of nineteen, forty five gladys husband returned home.
Somehow he learned of his wife's affair furious. He decided to confront christie himself, so one night before his wife even knew he was back. He surprised the couple as they were, entering the jones apartment according to neighbours who witnessed the event
husband, beat christie badly until someone called the police. The couple later filed for divorce, blaming Christie for the dissolution of their marriage, Christie was forced to pay the cost of the divorce proceedings. But now
before making. As seen in the courtroom and screaming at gladys husband, his tantrum was so extreme that he had
Be physically removed, its unclear of Ethel ever learned about Christy's affair with gladys or the reason for her husband's beating either way they remained together and it was large
business as usual for the couple for a while, but there was a
or brewing on the horizon, and they were more deaths to come at ten really tin place coming up, christie chooses his next victim, but his plans taken unexpected turn. What could be more shocking than uncovering the deal
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Nineteen. Forty eight forty eight year old, John Reginald Christie had murdered two people and no one had even noticed killing. He discovered was the only thing that made him feel alive. Even still, it had been for years since his last murder and he was itching to do it again, but he didn't want to kill just
Why he knew we needed to find the right kind of victim someone, young unimpressionable, someone he could manipulate and bend to his will
when pregnant newlyweds, Timothy and barrel evans moved into the apartment. Upstairs Christie thought he'd hit the jackpot
was young and attractive and much too Christy's delight the couples mare
seems shaky already. Timothy was ahead.
Drinker and the pair fought constantly christie, perhaps thought barrel.
Would be open to some comfort and reassurance from an older married man like him, but pristine needed to play a carefully to make sure that ships fell in his favour. So he slowly befriended the couple ass best he could determined to gain their trust.
when beryl gave birth to her baby geraldine in october of nineteen forty eight, the Christy's letter keep the strong.
in their hallway, so she wouldn't have to look it up the stairs. They also offered me
advice whenever they could, but even with the christy's help Timothy embarrass still struggle to make their marriage work. For one thing they both work low, paying jobs, which meant they could barely afford the rent and other necessities. Now, with the new baby,
meagre budget was stretched even thinner to make matters worse. Timothy might not have been mentally equipped to deal with the pressures and responsibility of supporting a family he reportedly had,
I q around seventy and is cognitive.
Mutations made it difficult for him to find anything but the most low paying menial jobs come
counting their issues. Timothy imperil both seem to take pleasure in making each other jealous at work barrel openly
loaded with other men when she returned
she liked to tease her husband about the flirtation and delight
we did in his anger, unable to cope with what felt like an attack on us masculinity
Timothy, showed up at her office and slapped his wife across the face. As a result,
was fired, but it didn't stop there. Perhaps wanting further revenge against his wife. Timothy had an affair with one of barrels. Friends
Despite these infidelities and the toxic nature of their relationship, beryl found herself pregnant again in the summer.
nineteen, forty nine, but this time
He had no intention of keeping the child central
around october beryl confided in Ethel that she tried to induce a miscarriage by taking pills its unclear of christmas present for this conversation or if his wife relate the newest later,
either way he figured, he could use his knowledge of medical terms to trick barrel into following his advice. It was exactly the moment. He'd been waiting for so patiently we
can't be sure exactly what happened next, but it seems that Christie convinced the young couple that he could perform an abortion for them and they agreed to accept his offer. It sounds like a
doubly risky move, but abortion wasn't legal in england at the time, so there wouldn't have been many options open to them, even if they did have some
ago, they had no money to pay for the procedure themselves, plus they trusted the older man. He seemed to possess an in depth knowledge of medicine and had always been kind and helpful
and so on the agreed. Upon date, Christie went upstairs to see barrel after Timothy left for work when he arrived, he set up his glass jar of gas and perfumed water likely telling barrel. It was a sedative to numb the pain of the procedure. He instructed her to inhale from the jar and trusting
Man would become like a father figure to her. She did. The young woman lost consciousness almost immediately, which meant christie was free to do what
for he liked, and he had some
thing very specific in mind. He grabbed the same rope he'd used on his other victims, wrapped around barrels neck and squeezed as tight as he could for several minutes when she was dead. Christie left her in the apartment and simply went home when Timothy
turned from work that evening Christie told him that the operation had been unsuccessful and that barrel died in the process, but
he knew how to help. He said christie explained that he could place baby geraldine with a loving family and cover up barrels, death, ultimately headed
who was get out of london ass, fast ass. He could Christie would take care of everything else. Panicked Timothy quit his job
I've been sold all the families meagre possessions. Then he fled to erupt.
this house in wales leading baby
Harold aim with the christy's christie had no intention of giving the baby to anyone shortly after Timothy left, he strangled the infant and hid her tiny body with her mothers,
even though he made a clean break. Guilt soon got the best of timothy evans. On november,
thirtieth he walked into a welsh police station and confessed to murdering his wife. He was arrested for the murder, but police had to locate the body before anything else:
officers arrived at ten really to place later that day, but there remains were nowhere to be found confused. The police interviewed, the christy's
claimed that timothy and barrel had left together its unclear exactly what christie told his wife, but it seems that Ethel had no clue what her husband had done. Unfortunately, for christie, Timothy did and history to police
changed later that night, around nine p m, the grieving husband and father told officers that his earlier confession was a lie. This time he told them what he thought was the truth. John Christie had
old barrel, while performing an abortion. He also told them that he left bay
geraldine with Christie, convinced that she'd be placed with loving home. The police returned to question the christy's once again in more detail,
but the couple maintained their innocence and assured investigators that they had no idea what happened to barrel or her child. By this stage it was clear that
Someone was lying so on december, second police conducted another sir
ten willing to place this time. They looked in the outhouse where they discovered the body
of barrel and geraldine and contrary to Timothy's laid a story. Autopsies showed that both had been strangled to death, but officers told Timothy what they found. He changed his story again. This time he claimed that he'd strangled his family. Exact
We why Timothy kept changing his stories unclear, but according to a two thousand nine article from the american academy of psychiatry and the law some
People are more likely to provide false confessions than others, suspect, tour gullible or who have cognitive impairments. Minded
it two crimes because they're not equipped to handle the pressures of an interrogation, false confession
There are also more likely to occur when someone is experienced. A lack of sleep stress or withdrawal from alcohol in Timothy's,
case. We know that he was under tremendous financial and emotional stress. He and barrel thought constantly and he was drinking heavily at the time.
He also had a low I q and likely couldn't comprehend the gravity of what he confessed to. Unfortunately, for him his admission was.
all the police needed, and he was charged with the murders of his family,
Timothy's trial began in january of nineteen fifty in a sadistic twist. John Christie was chosen as the principal witness for the prosecution now he'd have a direct hand in making some one else pay for his crime.
Naturally christie denied all knowledge of the murders and denied Timothy's accusation that he'd performed an abortion on barrel. Luckily, for him, it wasn't a different.
delegation to disprove, because no procedure had been performed and she'd actually do.
I'd, buy strangulation, Christie, told the court room
on the night of the murder. He heard a thud from the events apartment upstairs. Then he heard heavy things being moved around and dragged across the floor.
Few in the courtroom had reason not to believe christie. After all, he was a veteran and a former police officer. If any one was to be trusted. It was some unlike him, but it was time for Timothy to take the stand. The
seclusion concentrated on a series of misleading statements and confessions, but he insisted that christie had told him to lie again. This stress and pressure of the trial were probably far too much for Timothy to handle or process and the prosecutor easily poked holes in his story. Then, when he was asked what motive christie would have had for killing Timothy's, wife and daughter, he had nothing to
for after closing arguments. The jury deliberated for only forty minutes before returning with their verdict guilty in the after
The reading a man's sobs echoed through the courtroom, but they weren't from the defendant. They were coming from John reginald Christie, weather
Christy's tears were out of relief or a sense of guilt. They didn't save timothy evans. Two months later, in march of nineteen fifty he was exe
acute it by hanging after that, Christy's health seem to decline. It's possible, he experienced extreme stress from the trial and guilt over the outcome over the next two years. He took it Lee
eight months of sickly, from work for everything, from insomnia to memory loss, but it wasn't just the stress of the events affair that took a toll on Christy's health
a new landlord had purchased the house at ten rillington place and he made significant changes to the building
was made up of several floors, each containing bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom
The new landlord wanted to maximize his profits. So he rented out each bedroom separately, transforming the hallways kitchen,
and bathrooms into communal spaces. The multi,
molly dwelling was now more like a boarding house. Christie complained of
tenants were noisy and disrespectful and that they made it impossible for him and his wife to sleep eventually,
couple confronted their new neighbours who, according to christie, threatened and abuse them. In response soon the Christy's were spreading. Most
to their time, stuck in their pair of rooms complaining to one another. Neither could sleep and both were experiencing stress, related health issues for some, unlike christie, who relief
stress through affairs and murder. The situation was untenable. He clearly couldn't carry on an affair in his son.
The cramped living quarters and with his wife
always around. He felt certain he'd never get to kill again that pressure drove christie to the brink of is already tenuous sanity by late nineteen. Fifty two he was ready to snap
and in december the stress was so bad. He quit his job, but that wasn't the only
pulse of decision. He made that month, even though
for his new neighbours moved in Christie had resented his wife for many years. Their marriage was dull and in his view all Ethel did was complain. It didn't help.
The couple hadn't been intimate in a decade, but at least before she,
while to run errands and see friends, giving him a measure of peace
she was home all the time which, under,
tim to no end Christie felt like his wife was
benningham from living his best life and to be clear that was a life in which he could explore.
Or and satisfy his sexual and murderous urges christie did empathize with his wife suffering, though. As someone who had a pair,
experienced a lifetime of medical issues. He knew
it was like to suffer and die
was a solution that would end both at their torment. He could kill two birds with one stone: its impact,
will. They know with certainty what happened on December, fourteenth nineteen fifty two all we have is Christy's bizarre. Can,
russian given years later in it, he claimed that Ethel
woke that morning gasping for breath. He tried to help her, but nothing worked as Ethel's breathing grew even more labored. Her face turned
blue and christie realise she was going to die, but he claimed he couldn't bear to see his wife's suffering, so he strangled her putting her out of her misery. It's entirely possible that things happen.
The way Christie described, but given his murderous history and deep disdain for his wife, the truth is probably far simpler. Christie likely strangled ethel in her sleep,
satisfying, and urge that had been gnawing at him for years either way with
wife dead and no one around to answer. Two christie felt more powerful and free than
had in a long time in his mind, nothing could stop him from
we again up. Next Christie goes on his final killing spree and discovers the limits to his power. Now back to the story
after murdering his wife in late nineteen, fifty two fifty three year old John Christie felt omnipotent at least for a while
but reality set in when he realized he would have to account for Ethel's absence. He wrote several lead
to her family, claiming she was too ill to write herself, but he assured them. He was taking care of her as best he could since Christy
quit his job. He had no money coming in, so he felt apples possessions to stay afloat, but he still had to deal with the biggest problem
he had nowhere to move Ethel's body to so he placed her beneath the floorboards in his apartment. Then he cleaned the room with disease
direct and presumably to mask the smell around this time. Christy
she's became much or desperate and disorderly it's possible. He sensed that his days of freedom were numbered. If that was the case, it's telling that he didn't try
run. All he wanted to do was kill again before it was too late
Sometime in early january of nineteen, fifty three christie met twenty five year old, Rita nelson either
cafe or while she was on her beat, has a sex worker like most of christy's victims, Rita hadn't had a particularly easy life.
after leaving school, when she was fourteen, she bounced from job to job, never quite finding her footing. She'd also been in trouble with the law, mostly for petty offences like theft, disorderly conduct and prostitution. In january, Rita was pregnant. The exact nature of her relationship with Christie is unclear, but it's possible
convinced the young woman. He could help put an end to the pregnancy honour. Around january, sixteenth christie invited Rita to his place once inside he administer
this combination of gas and perfumed water until
young woman lost consciousness. He proceeded to rape, her then tighter roper out her neck and strangled her to death. After killing her, he placed readers.
body at an alcove behind a wall in his apartment. Now there were two dead bodies hidden in the cramped unit, several of reduced
May members reported or missing almost immediately, but it seems that police never seriously investigated her disappearance. Even so, Christie was paranoid that the police were onto him.
and he was desperate to claim another life before they knocked on his door
less than a month later he met twenty six year old, Kathleen maloney. She
to london when she was nineteen and like Rita, she supported herself with sex work. She was also a heavy drinker and spent much of our time in bars, frequently drink.
to the point of belligerents and even arrest. We don't know for sure, but Christie probably met kathleen at a bar.
Invited her back to his room at ten willing to place once he had her
He almost certainly used his signature gas in strangulation method on Kathleen before raping her lifeless body shortly after killing. Her he prompter body in a chair
in the corner of the room then fell asleep by now,
Christy's mind, was unravelling at a rapid pace he
no longer the careful, cautious killer who bite it is time between attacks and cleaned up after himself. Now he was sloppy indifferent, even the next morning he awoke having forgotten very left couplings dead body in the room
when he regained his faculties. He shoved during the alcove with Rita. Sadly, no,
filed a missing persons report and kathleen's disappearance was like
We never examined in fact like many serial killers, Christie, probably targeted, kathleen and rita on purpose, as they were, both sex workers he might have suspected their disappearances were less likely to
investigated, but there may be more to it than just that. A two thousand twelve article from scientific
arrogant suggests that many men who pay for sex are motivated.
By a desire to dominate and control. Women Christie was certainly looking
easy prey, but, as such
one had been marked as a boy for his sexual inadequacies. He also used sex to prove to himself tat. He was in control, however, that veneer of control was slipping. Christie was panicked and exhausted, and its action,
were those of a man who could barely control himself, let alone anyone else, but after he killed, Rita Christie didn't need to carefully select his next victim. This time she came to
m, since he didn't have any money coming in christie, decided to rent or one of the two rooms in his apartment. So we placed him
add on a local bulletin board
in early march about a week after his last murder,
de arena. Mcclarnon responded, hatch arena at her boyfriend who
call logan were short on money and christie offered them. His spare room
The arrangement only lasted a few days, though then he told the couple he wanted them out. So on march, sixth logan went looking for a new place to stay
That's when christie made his move, he guessed
raped and murdered hector rina. Then he placed her body
the cat lean and readers and the alcove behind the wall. Later that day, Logan showed up looking for his girlfriend, but Christie insisted that she wasn't there that she left he showed logan around to prove that hector rina was gone and even made him a cup of tea.
although Christie, manage to fool the young man. The visit was a wake up call soon. It might not just be a disgruntled boy
friend, knocking on his door, but the police he decided it was time to get going on march twenty if he left brilliant in place in hopes of staying one step ahead of the affair.
he's, with Christie gone his landlord wasted, no time running the room to a new tenant who set about doing some home improvements on march twenty
worth. He chose a wall to hang a phone, but when he tried finding a stud, he discovered that the structure was just a flimsy piece of wood
the space behind the wall was hollow. He took down the wood to see what has options were for hanging the phone and that's what he made a startling discovery. He found Christy's hiding place.
when police arrived a little later, the man pointed out the three dead bodies stuffed into the alcove, that same
investigators pride up some loose floorboards and found the body of Ethel Christie. The next day,
news of the murders were splashed across every newspaper in Britain overnight John
reginald Christie had become the countries most wanted. Fugitive
when the news of his crimes broke. Christie was living in a large run down boarding house in another part of london, but when he saw his picture in the paper, he fled immediately, leaving his meagre possessions behind. He spent the next few days,
moving constantly and resting where every could at night, but he didn't get very far. Eventually. He ended up in putney just five miles from his old neighborhood. That's
A police officer spotted him on the morning of march thirty. First moving quickly. The cop arrested the dishevelled kill
and brought him in at the station. Christie confessed to the murders, almost immediately sort of because he explained that he killed the women in self defense, though how he expected any went to buy that is baffling when Christy's trial began. That june
lawyers thought the same and argued that he was not guilty by reason of insanity. Their client was unwell. They said
and the murders were the product of a disturbed and troubled mind. Despite their best efforts. The jury was unconvinced by the lawyers arguments after afford.
trial and just over an hour of deliberations, they announced their verdict guilty a month,
later. In July, nineteen. Fifty three christie was sent to the gallows
In the years after Christy's execution, there was renewed interest in the conviction of timothy evans and in nineteen sixty five and invest
Jason was opened into his trial. The report concluded that christie, not timothy, had killed baby Geraldine and for that crime at least Timothy was awarded a posthumous pardon Timothy's trial.
It's one of the principal cases that led to the united kingdom abolishing the death penalty a short time later. Timothy Evans was eventually granted a full pardon in two thousand and three over fifty years after his death
eventually, Christy's flat, unwilling to place was demolished and the street was renamed, in fact, the
tire notting hill neighbourhood. Once gray and decrepid. When Christie live
There is now one of the most expensive areas in london today
cited. The murderous has been transformed into a small garden where neighbours can gather and children can play, but no one can quite forget the horrors perpetrated there by the monster of ruling tin place
thanks again, for tuning into serial killers will be back soon within all new episode for more information
non john christie amongst the many sources that we used. We found John Christie a ruling tin place biography of a serial killer by jonathan oats, extremely helpful to our research you can find
besides of serial killers and all other spotify originals from par cast for free on spotify, will see you next time have a killer, weak,
serial killers is a spotify original from par cast. Executive producers include max and wrong cutler
designed by juan border with production assistance by IRAN. Shapiro trend,
jameson carly, madden and joshua kern. This episode of serial killers was written by tony goodman, with writing assistance by saddam Hussein and Joe Callin,
fact, checking by carlo macro lean and research by Brian petrus and chelsea would serial killers stars gregg, paulson and vanessa richardson.
Transcript generated on 2023-06-20.