Infamous Child Killer Dies After UK Prison Beating

One of Britain’s most notorious child killers, Ian Huntley, has died, days after being attacked by a fellow inmate in a maximum-security prison workshop. Huntley, 52, was convicted in 2003 for the murder of two 10-year-old girls and had been on life support following the assault at Frankland Prison in northeast England on February 26, according to the AP.

The murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman gripped Britain in August 2002 after the best friends disappeared from the village of Soham while leaving a barbecue to buy candy. Police conducted a 13-day search, during which images of the girls in matching red Manchester United shirts dominated news coverage. Thousands visited Soham to pay their respects, leaving hundreds of floral tributes outside the local church. The search ended when hikers found the girls’ remains in a wooded area a few miles from the village.

“The murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman remain among the most shocking and devastating cases in our nation’s history, and our thoughts are with their families,” the UK Ministry of Justice said.

Huntley consistently denied the killings but was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 40 years. While incarcerated, he survived several attacks and was placed under close protection along with other high-profile criminals. In 2010, his throat was slashed by another inmate.

At the time of the murders, Huntley lived with Maxine Carr, a teaching assistant at the girls’ school. Carr provided Huntley with a false alibi and was jailed for 21 months for perverting the course of justice. She is now living under a new identity.

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