Between 1963 and 1965, five children and teenagers disappeared or were murdered in and around Manchester, England. Their deaths would eventually expose one of Britain's most notorious criminal partnerships: Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.
Known as the Moors Murderers, the couple abducted, sexually assaulted, and murdered five young people between the ages of 10 and 17. Several victims were buried in isolated graves on Saddleworth Moor, a remote landscape northeast of Manchester.
The investigation uncovered disturbing evidence, including photographs, an audio recording, and testimony from a witness who helped bring the killing spree to an end.
Brady and Hindley received life sentences in 1966, but the full extent of their crimes would not be acknowledged for another two decades.
Although both killers have since died, one victim, 12-year-old Keith Bennett, has never been found.
The Moors Murders remain an important chapter in British criminal history, not only because of the crimes themselves but also because of the unanswered questions that have continued for more than sixty years.
Who Were Ian Brady and Myra Hindley?
Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were a British criminal couple responsible for the murders of five children and teenagers between July 1963 and October 1965.
Their relationship began in Manchester in 1961. Over the following years, their shared involvement in violent crime developed into a series of calculated abductions and murders.
Ian Brady: Early Life and Criminal Background
Ian Brady was born on January 2, 1938, in Glasgow, Scotland.
Born Ian Duncan Stewart, he spent much of his childhood away from his biological mother, who faced financial difficulties. His early years were marked by instability, and he eventually developed a record of theft and other criminal offenses.
As a teenager, Brady was repeatedly in trouble with the authorities. After further criminal activity, he was sent to a borstal, a British institution for young offenders.
Following his release, Brady moved to the Manchester area and obtained employment as a stock clerk.
He also developed an interest in authoritarian ideology, Nazi Germany, and literature dealing with violence and power.
Although these interests became prominent in later accounts of his personality, they do not independently explain why he committed murder.
By 1961, Brady was working at a business where he would meet the woman who became his accomplice.
Myra Hindley: From Manchester to Murder
Myra Hindley was born on July 23, 1942, in Manchester, England.
She grew up in a working-class family and spent part of her childhood living with her grandmother.
Hindley met Brady while working at the same company in 1961. She became strongly attracted to him, and the two began a relationship.
Over time, their relationship became increasingly centered on Brady's interests and attitudes. Hindley later maintained that Brady had exercised considerable psychological control over her.
However, investigators and prosecutors established that Hindley played an active role in the crimes, including helping to abduct victims.
Her eventual claims of manipulation would become central to public arguments about her responsibility and whether she should ever be released from prison.
Regardless of those arguments, her criminal convictions and subsequent confession established her involvement in the murders.
The Five Victims of the Moors Murders
The five known victims of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward Evans.
Their murders occurred over approximately 27 months, beginning in July 1963.
1. Pauline Reade, 16 — July 12, 1963
Pauline Reade was the first known victim of the Moors Murderers.
On July 12, 1963, the 16-year-old left her home in Gorton, Manchester, intending to attend a dance.
She never arrived.
Pauline knew Hindley, making it easier for the older woman to approach her without immediately raising suspicion.
According to accounts later given during the investigation, Hindley persuaded Pauline to accompany her to Saddleworth Moor. Brady was waiting in the area.
Pauline was sexually assaulted and murdered.
For more than two decades, her family had no definitive explanation for her disappearance.
Although investigators suspected a connection to Brady and Hindley, Pauline's remains were not discovered until 1987, following renewed searches and admissions from the killers.
The discovery finally established what had happened to her after 24 years of uncertainty.
2. John Kilbride, 12 — November 23, 1963
Four months after Pauline disappeared, Brady and Hindley targeted 12-year-old John Kilbride.
On November 23, 1963, John disappeared after visiting a market in Ashton-under-Lyne.
The couple persuaded him to enter their vehicle and took him toward Saddleworth Moor.
John was sexually assaulted and murdered before being buried in a shallow grave.
His disappearance devastated his family and prompted extensive efforts to determine what had happened.
The police investigation initially failed to identify his killers.
John's remains were eventually discovered on Saddleworth Moor in October 1965, shortly after Brady and Hindley's arrests.
His murder would become one of the three cases prosecuted at their 1966 trial.
3. Keith Bennett, 12 — June 16, 1964
Keith Bennett disappeared on June 16, 1964, while walking to his grandmother's home in Manchester.
He was just 12 years old.
Investigators later established that Keith had become another victim of Brady and Hindley.
Hindley was implicated in luring him into a vehicle, after which he was taken toward Saddleworth Moor.
The precise details of Keith's final moments have never been independently established in full. Accounts provided by the two killers were not always consistent.
Unlike the other four victims, Keith has never been recovered.
His disappearance remains the most significant unresolved aspect of the Moors Murders.
Despite decades of police investigations, searches, and attempts to obtain information from Brady and Hindley, the location of Keith's remains is still unknown.
His mother, Winnie Johnson, spent much of her life campaigning for answers. She died in 2012 without being able to give her son a burial.
Keith's case remains under investigation.
4. Lesley Ann Downey, 10 — December 26, 1964
Lesley Ann Downey was the youngest victim of the Moors Murderers.
On Boxing Day, December 26, 1964, the 10-year-old visited a fairground in Manchester.
Brady and Hindley approached her and persuaded her to accompany them.
Unlike some of their earlier victims, Lesley Ann was taken to the couple's home.
There, she was subjected to sexual abuse and murdered.
The couple also created photographs and an audio recording documenting part of the abuse.
These materials would later become central evidence in the prosecution.
The recording captured Lesley Ann pleading to be allowed to return to her mother. Its existence became one of the most disturbing and widely reported aspects of the case.
Her body was buried on Saddleworth Moor and discovered by investigators in October 1965.
At the couple's trial, the recording and other evidence helped demonstrate the deliberate nature of the crime.
Lesley Ann's murder remains one of the most extensively documented crimes associated with Brady and Hindley.
5. Edward Evans, 17 — October 6, 1965
Edward Evans was the fifth known victim of the Moors Murderers.
On October 6, 1965, the 17-year-old was brought to Brady and Hindley's home in Hattersley, near Manchester.
Brady attacked and murdered Edward inside the house.
What made this killing different from the earlier murders was the presence of a witness.
David Smith, Hindley's teenage brother-in-law, witnessed the attack.
Smith initially concealed his reaction because he feared Brady might attack him as well.
After leaving the house, he informed his wife, Maureen, of what had happened and contacted the police.
His decision led directly to the discovery of Edward's body and Brady's arrest.
The investigation that followed would reveal the other murders.
Why Were They Called the Moors Murderers?
The name Moors Murderers comes from the couple's use of Saddleworth Moor to conceal the bodies of several victims.
Saddleworth Moor is a large area of open moorland in the Pennines, northeast of Manchester.
Its landscape consists of exposed hills, rough vegetation, peat deposits, and isolated stretches of land.
These characteristics made searches difficult, particularly during the 1960s when investigators had fewer technological resources available.
Brady and Hindley used remote areas of the moor to conceal their crimes.
The remains of Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, and Lesley Ann Downey were eventually recovered from graves there.
Investigators believe Keith Bennett was also buried somewhere on the moor, but his remains have never been located.
Edward Evans, meanwhile, was murdered and discovered at the couple's home.
The association between the landscape and the murders became so strong that Saddleworth Moor remains inseparable from the history of the case.
How Were Ian Brady and Myra Hindley Caught?
The Moors Murderers were caught after David Smith reported witnessing the murder of Edward Evans on October 6, 1965.
Until that point, investigators had not successfully connected the earlier disappearances to Brady and Hindley.
Smith's testimony changed everything.
David Smith Reports the Murder
David Smith was married to Hindley's younger sister, Maureen.
Brady had developed a relationship with Smith and had increasingly exposed him to discussions about violence and crime.
On the evening of October 6, 1965, Smith was at Brady and Hindley's home when Brady attacked Edward Evans.
Fearing for his safety, Smith did not immediately confront Brady.
Instead, he left the property and later reported the killing.
Police arrived at the house on October 7 and discovered Edward's body.
Brady was arrested, and Hindley was arrested several days later.
What initially appeared to be an investigation into a single murder soon expanded into something far more extensive.
The Evidence That Connected Them to Other Victims
During the investigation, police discovered material linking Brady and Hindley to previously unsolved disappearances.
Among the most important discoveries was evidence stored in suitcases at Manchester Central railway station.
The suitcases contained photographs, written materials, and audio recordings.
The evidence included photographs and a recording connected to Lesley Ann Downey.
Investigators also examined photographs taken on Saddleworth Moor, including images of Hindley posing in locations that helped police identify potential burial sites.
These discoveries provided investigators with crucial information about the couple's activities.
The photographs and physical evidence helped direct searches of the moor.
Bodies Discovered on Saddleworth Moor
In October 1965, police located the remains of Lesley Ann Downey and John Kilbride.
Their discoveries confirmed that Edward Evans was not the couple's only victim.
The evidence connected Brady and Hindley to multiple murders involving children who had disappeared over the previous two years.
However, police were still unable to locate Pauline Reade or Keith Bennett.
Their cases would remain unresolved for decades.
The combination of David Smith's testimony, physical evidence, photographs, and audio recordings ultimately helped prosecutors build their case against the couple.
The Moors Murders Timeline: 1963–1966
The following timeline summarizes the major events leading to the killers' convictions.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 12, 1963 | Pauline Reade, 16, disappears |
| November 23, 1963 | John Kilbride, 12, is abducted and murdered |
| June 16, 1964 | Keith Bennett, 12, disappears |
| December 26, 1964 | Lesley Ann Downey, 10, is abducted |
| October 6, 1965 | Edward Evans, 17, is murdered |
| October 7, 1965 | David Smith's report leads to Brady's arrest |
| October 1965 | Police discover the remains of John Kilbride and Lesley Ann Downey |
| April 1966 | The Moors Murders trial takes place |
| May 6, 1966 | Brady and Hindley receive life sentences |
Although the convictions brought an end to the initial criminal proceedings, important developments continued long afterward.
The 1966 Trial of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley
The trial began in April 1966 at Chester Assizes.
Both defendants faced charges connected to three murders: John Kilbride, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward Evans.
The prosecution presented photographs, physical evidence, witness testimony, and the recording connected to Lesley Ann's murder.
David Smith became an important prosecution witness because he had directly witnessed Edward Evans being attacked.
The evidence revealed how the couple had used deception and violence to target young victims.
The trial attracted extraordinary public attention, with reports of the proceedings appearing throughout Britain.
What Were Brady and Hindley Convicted Of?
On May 6, 1966, the jury returned its verdict.
Ian Brady was convicted of three murders:
John Kilbride
Lesley Ann Downey
Edward Evans
Myra Hindley was convicted of two murders:
Lesley Ann Downey
Edward Evans
Hindley was also convicted of being an accessory after the fact to John Kilbride's murder.
Both received life imprisonment.
The distinction between their convictions is important. Although Brady and Hindley were ultimately established as responsible for five murders, they were not tried for the deaths of Pauline Reade and Keith Bennett in 1966.
Their involvement in those additional crimes was acknowledged years later.
The trial took place shortly after Parliament had abolished capital punishment for murder under the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965.
The case subsequently became part of broader public discussions about life imprisonment, punishment, rehabilitation, and whether particularly notorious offenders should ever be released.
The 1980s Confessions: Two More Murders Revealed
For years after the trial, the disappearances of Pauline Reade and Keith Bennett remained unresolved.
Police suspected Brady and Hindley, but neither case had been included in their original convictions.
During the 1980s, renewed attention focused on the possibility that the couple had committed additional murders.
Brady made admissions concerning Pauline and Keith, and Hindley eventually provided a detailed account of her involvement.
In 1987, the killers acknowledged responsibility for both deaths.
Police reopened searches of Saddleworth Moor, hoping that information from the convicted murderers would lead investigators to the missing graves.
Brady and Hindley were taken separately to the moor to assist in identifying possible locations.
Their cooperation did not resolve both cases.
The Discovery of Pauline Reade
On July 1, 1987, investigators discovered Pauline Reade's remains on Saddleworth Moor.
The discovery came almost 24 years after her disappearance.
For her family, it finally provided confirmation of what had happened and allowed them to arrange a burial.
However, the search for Keith Bennett remained unsuccessful.
Despite the later admissions and evidence concerning both murders, prosecutors decided not to pursue additional charges against Brady and Hindley, who were already serving life sentences.
What Happened to Keith Bennett?
The disappearance of Keith Bennett remains the major unanswered question in the Moors Murders case.
Police believe Keith was murdered and buried on Saddleworth Moor in June 1964, but the exact location of his remains has never been confirmed.
Investigators have repeatedly searched the area using information provided by witnesses, researchers, and the killers themselves.
Some searches have attracted significant media attention, particularly when possible evidence was discovered.
However, none has resulted in the recovery of Keith's remains.
The Search Continues
In September 2022, police carried out another search after claims that possible human remains had been discovered.
Investigators found no human remains at the site.
The case returned to public attention in 2025 following the BBC documentary The Moors Murders: A Search for Justice, which examined historical evidence and new information that might help the investigation.
On July 31, 2025, Greater Manchester Police confirmed that Keith's disappearance remained an open investigation.
The force explained that although public searches had paused, investigative work was continuing through its Major Crime Review Unit.
Police also stated that they remained interested in credible new evidence that could help locate Keith.
As of October 2026, no confirmed recovery of his remains has been publicly reported.
Was Myra Hindley Manipulated by Ian Brady?
One of the longest-running controversies surrounding the Moors Murders concerns the relationship between Brady and Hindley.
Hindley maintained that Brady had exercised considerable influence over her, and her supporters later argued that she had changed during her imprisonment.
However, her involvement went beyond simply knowing about the crimes.
She participated in approaching and abducting victims, and she was convicted of two murders and an additional offense connected to a third.
Her later confession also acknowledged responsibility for crimes beyond those considered at the original trial.
The question of whether Brady exercised psychological control over Hindley is separate from the documented evidence of her participation.
Although researchers and commentators have debated the couple's relationship, the precise private motivations behind their decisions cannot be established with certainty.
Hindley's attempts to obtain release eventually generated legal and political controversy.
Her supporters argued that she had been rehabilitated and should be considered for release.
Opponents maintained that the seriousness of her crimes justified imprisonment for the rest of her life.
She was never released.
What Happened to Ian Brady and Myra Hindley?
Myra Hindley's Death in 2002
Hindley remained imprisoned for more than 36 years.
During that period, she pursued opportunities for release and repeatedly argued that she had changed.
Her case became central to debates about whole-life imprisonment in Britain.
Despite her attempts to challenge the restrictions on her release, she remained in custody.
Myra Hindley died on November 15, 2002, aged 60.
Ian Brady's Death in 2017
Brady continued to attract public attention after his conviction, particularly because of his statements about the murders and the unresolved location of Keith Bennett's remains.
In 1985, he was transferred to Ashworth Hospital, a high-security psychiatric institution.
He spent the remainder of his life in custody.
Brady also became involved in legal disputes about his detention and medical treatment.
Ian Brady died on May 15, 2017, aged 79.
His death eliminated the possibility of obtaining further direct information from either of the two killers.
The Lasting Impact of the Moors Murders
The Moors Murders remain among the most extensively discussed crimes in British history.
The case continues to attract attention through books, documentaries, historical investigations, and reporting on the search for Keith Bennett.
But its lasting importance extends beyond the identities of the perpetrators.
Five young people lost their lives, and their families experienced years of grief, uncertainty, and public attention.
For the families of Pauline Reade and Keith Bennett, the absence of their loved ones' remains created an additional burden that lasted decades.
The case also illustrates the importance of witness testimony, preserving evidence, and revisiting unresolved investigations when new information becomes available.
David Smith's decision to report Edward Evans's murder was the turning point that exposed the wider crimes.
Without that report, investigators might not have uncovered the evidence that connected Brady and Hindley to their earlier victims.
The later discovery of Pauline Reade demonstrated that even decades-old investigations can produce meaningful answers.
Keith Bennett's disappearance, however, remains unresolved.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Moors Murders
How many people did Ian Brady and Myra Hindley kill?
Ian Brady and Myra Hindley were responsible for five known murders between 1963 and 1965. Their victims were Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward Evans.
Who was the youngest Moors Murders victim?
Lesley Ann Downey was the youngest victim. She was 10 years old when Brady and Hindley abducted her on December 26, 1964.
How were the Moors Murderers caught?
They were caught after David Smith witnessed Brady murder Edward Evans in October 1965 and reported the crime. Investigators subsequently discovered evidence connecting the couple to additional victims.
Were all five victims buried on Saddleworth Moor?
No. The remains of Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, and Lesley Ann Downey were recovered from the moor. Keith Bennett is believed to have been buried there, but his remains have not been found. Edward Evans's body was discovered inside Brady and Hindley's home.
Why weren't Brady and Hindley convicted of all five murders?
At their 1966 trial, the couple faced charges involving three victims. Their involvement in the murders of Pauline Reade and Keith Bennett was formally acknowledged years later, after they were already serving life sentences.
Is Keith Bennett's body still missing?
Yes. Keith Bennett's remains have never been recovered. Greater Manchester Police confirmed in 2025 that the investigation was continuing, even though visible searches had paused.
Are Ian Brady and Myra Hindley still alive?
No. Myra Hindley died in 2002, aged 60. Ian Brady died in 2017, aged 79. Both remained in custody for the rest of their lives.
Remembering the Victims of the Moors Murders
The names Ian Brady and Myra Hindley remain notorious, but their victims deserve to be remembered as more than part of a criminal case.
Pauline Reade was 16.
John Kilbride was 12.
Keith Bennett was 12.
Lesley Ann Downey was 10.
Edward Evans was 17.
Their lives were taken between 1963 and 1965, leaving families to confront losses that extended far beyond the courtroom.
Although the perpetrators were convicted and died in custody, one important question remains unanswered: where is Keith Bennett?
Until that question is resolved, the Moors Murders case retains an unfinished chapter.
For more stories involving criminal partnerships, explore FrightFuel's Deadly Duos: 10 Infamous Couple Killers.
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