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Moors murders: The True Crime Story and Key Facts

Moors murders: 1963–65 serial child killings in England. The documented story, timeline and key facts of the case.

By the Pop Culture Files editorial team4 min read✓ Fact-checked
Moors murders
Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA

The Moors murders were a series of child killings committed by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in and around Manchester, England, between July 1963 and October 1965. The five victims – Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans – were aged between 10 and 17, and at least four were sexually assaulted. The bodies of two of the victims were discovered in 1965, in graves dug on Saddleworth Moor; a third grave was discovered there in 1987, more than twenty years after Brady and Hindley's trial. Bennett's body is also thought to be buried there, but despite repeated searches it remains undiscovered.

Why the case is remembered

The Moors murders story remains one of the most discussed entries in true-crime history, covered in documentaries, podcasts and books. The summary above follows the publicly documented record.

Text adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Facts reflect the documented public record.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Moors murders?

The Moors murders were a series of child killings committed by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in and around Manchester, England, between July 1963 and October 1965. The five victims – Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans – were aged between .

Why is the Moors murders case famous?

It is one of the most documented serial killer cases, widely covered by true-crime media.

Sources

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