Hello Everyone, hope you are all keeping safe and well out there. This week we have a mini episode for you, and it is an actual mini this week meaning it is a short one.
We are going to update you on any developments, interesting cases, and notable anniversaries.
Please remember that we mean no disrespect to anyone mentioned in this episode, or across any of the wives and knives platforms.
We have an interest in true crime and related topics and whilst we may offer our own personal views on certain items it is meant to be educational and as light-hearted as possible. The information we present is collated from research gathered from the internet and we reference and credit our sources wherever possible.
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We wanted to mention Jordan Banks, the young boy who was sadly killed last week in a tragic accident. Jordan was playing football at a private coaching session in Blackpool when he was struck by lightning.
Our thoughts are with Jordan's family and friends at this sad time, we can't begin to imagine how you feel. I didn't know Jordan but from what I've read he was a lovely young man who did a lot of charity work and was a general good lad. He is continuing to do good, even after his passing, by donating his organs; helping to save a further three lives in the process.
There is a go fund me that has been set up to continue Jordan's Legacy and no doubt help his family out at this sad time.
But before we get into this weeks updates, let’s have our usual little catch up.
Not much really to report from either Dani or myself, I did have an interesting little interaction earlier this week, via the Charlene Downes group that we are both members of. A member had posted a picture of the stone, and said she found the wording interesting.
Someone else, had already commented with who we are, I think she called us a true crime research team, which I thought whilst accurate made us sound pretty cool.
But then there was also mention of us potentially being in a biker gang and having an affiliation to the American TV programme Wives with knives, so I clarified.
I really love being a member of that group, I don’t agree with all the opinions on there, but I particularly enjoy Ronay’s lives, and find Kim’s posts always super interesting. there’s a lot of knowledge & positive work going on in that group, and we are going to mention them again later. In fact after recording this weeks episode and following a very interesting live, I contacted Ronay. Ronay and i had a lovely chat on Tuesday and i am pleased to say that she has agreed to talk to us about Charlene's case. We'll bring that to you shortly as a one off bonus episode.
Have we ever gone over the name? why we’re called wives & Knives?
Okay so origin story - when we first decided to become an actual club. Back when we were just friends with an interest in true crime. The plan was to be going out to eat at least once a month and to discuss a chosen case at the meal.
I think Lucy originally came up with the name when she created the group chat, and it stuck. I used to and still do call it murder club, which used to get the odd look when people would ask what I was up to of an evening.
we’re locked in now, with the name.
Oh yeah, we definitely are. I can’t think of what else we could or would be called anyway. It is too close to Wives with Knives though.
Plus Dani has just ordered these awesome earrings from Shein.
this is the type of thing we should save to discuss at our sleepover!.....
So we find ourselves with an overnight stay coming up, I want to say adult sleep over, but it sounds a bit dodgy.
I mean we’re close, but….
So we decided to use our evening in together to record the Dirty John Case and potentially the following weeks mini at the same time. We thought it might be fun, to do something a little bit different and perhaps have listeners questions? I mean we’d do an Instagram live but we feel a bit muggy doing that.
Yeah, we’ll do a specific post maybe. Where you could submit questions in the comments. Or listeners can email us any questions they may have? Wivesandknives@outlook.com
Yeah, and then we’ll put them in a jar and pick them out? if not then we can just ask each other random questions regarding true crime and just see how we go.
Updates
first of all let’s talk about the Charlene Downes group. Recently the group had the last photo of Charlene enhanced. We’ll put the sources in the usual places. The photo has raised quite a lot of questions and the prevalent one is that the person in the photograph may not be Charlene at all but someone who would have favoured her, a member of her family. In particular her sister.
I still think it’s Charlene, but I can see why people are convinced otherwise.
If it isn’t Charlene, then it changes everything. The sightings, the timeline everything. And why wouldn’t the family say anything about the mistaken identity or even allow that to continue?
I think we would both recommend joining that group, it’s a nice group of people with a shared concern and want for justice. They also share a lot of posts and information on related stories too.
Yes definitely. Hi Ronay, and I look forward to speaking to you again in the very near future.
Well the next update for me is the news around the Wests, Fred, and Rose. And it involves Mary Bastholm, 15, who went missing on 6 January 1968.
Mary used to work at the café, called The Clean Plate, which is now run by a charity, this is near to Cromwell street, where Fred West was apparently a regular customer.
It is also said that Fred West may have carried out a cellar renovation as well as work on the toilets at the café, in 1968.
Officers were called to the clean plate by filmmakers working on a documentary, saying they had found evidence that a body could be buried within the property.
We need to keep an eye on this because excavation work will no doubt need to be done so it may be some time before we know anything more.
A spokesperson for The Nelson Trust, which is a women's charity that owns The Clean Plate, said: they are doing everything they can to accommodate the investigation. I’ve put the charities details in the sources.
I feel for Mary’s family, at least they may get some closure now, as Mary has never been found.
Bloody Wests – still doing damage even now.
So I’m sure listeners have heard about PCSO Julia James, Ms James had worked for Kent Police since 2008, and her family said she was "fiercely loyal" and "loved with her whole heart".
Ms James, 53, was found dead next to Akholt Wood, Snowdon, near Dover, after taking her dog for a walk. On Tuesday the 28th of April.
Her body was found shortly after 4pm with serious head injuries. Toby (her dog) was found unharmed at her side. Toby did two reconstructions with an actress to help get justice for his mum.
The police carried out a thorough investigation and after two weeks the police have arrested and charged callum wheeler with her murder.
it’s a super sad case, Julia was a mother and a well-respected Pcso. It looks like justice is being served there.
Yeah, the police are confident they have the right perpetrator. And of course our thoughts are with her family at this terrible time.
Well I feel like we need a bit of an uplift. What snacks shall we have for the sleepover?
I’m gonna need some Haribo, rhubarb and custard, and likely some crisps or popcorn. Have we decided what take away? Turkish? Or are we gonna be adventurous and try something else? Something with leftovers.
I had to do a bit of a diversion there because I am gonna go dark again, oh I’ll just divert a smidge again.
Double divert So I was watching well listening to Kendall Rae over on the you tube the other day, quite like her. Thoughts?
She does a lot of charity work and the like. Anyway so I watched a video and I had never heard of the case she covered and then I looked more into it and now I’m like in full investigation mode.
is this the one you told me about.
it is, I want to do more research on it yet so I’m not going to say what it is just yet. But yes, thank you for bringing that to my attention Kendall Rae, check her out. She does cover some interesting cases, some well-known ones in there of course. She has a huge back catalogue to binge, and I find her quite comforting, I don’t know if that’s the right word, she’s American, friendly, and inoffensive.
Back on track pal, what’s the next update.
Okay so the next update is about someone I think I would like to cover at some point but perhaps as part of another case. And that is the case of Lucy Letby. Lucy Letby, 31, allegedly went on a year-long killing spree while she worked at Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit.
She is charged with the murder of five baby boys and three baby girls, all just a few days old. She is also accused of attempting to murder five more boys and five more girls, all under one year old, between June 2015 and June 2016.
She was arrested in 2018, 2019 and 2020 for these charges and now she has appeared in court ahead of her trial next year. She faces charges of both attempted murder and murder against one of the baby girls. At the time of writing this she hadn’t entered her plea, I think that could be due to happen tomorrow, the 17th (as we record.) tomorrow.
The final update is the Jon Benet Ramsey article by radar.
there is a new potential suspect that has been identified in the high-profile case as investigators continue to bring answers to her family. Roscoe J. Clark, the founder of the online group JonBenét investigations and co-investigator, Derek Brommerich, gathered a DNA sample from a discarded cigarette after they've kept a close eye on the individual, they think may be responsible.
The DNA was given to Sheriff Mike Angus in Flint, Michigan on May 7. The report is intended to be passed on to the local FBI office.
Clark said. "This could be the breakthrough everyone has been waiting for during the past 24 years and it's based on hard evidence and forensic science. I'm 100-perfect positive we have the right suspect, and we can't rule this person out."
The outlet is currently withholding the potential suspects name so authorities have enough time to gather their evidence without alerting the person they feel may be responsible.
The person they have in mind is linked to one of Ramsey's neighbours.
I’ve heard the neighbour theory mentioned before, I have strong feelings about this case, but I’m happy to be proved wrong.
Anniversaries.
It is 55 years since Myra Hindley and Ian Brady were sentenced to life imprisonment for the Moors Murders. (6th May 1966)
and it is 4 years since the Manchester Arena attack where a suicide bomber detonated a device following a music concert by American singer Ariana Grande, resulting in multiple casualties. It is the deadliest attack in the UK since the 7 July 2005 London bombings and the first in the North of England since the IRA bombing of Manchester in June 1996.
one final small update on Esther Dingley, who we mentioned in one of the mini episodes, her partner Dan Colegate has returned to the area where she disappeared to search for her. He’s alone and some of the higher areas of the mountain are still covered with snow but he is searching the lower ground and the woodlands around her route.
So, get in touch with any questions about the podcast, or us, that you would like answering. Any cases you think we should cover? And we will try to incorporate that into our sleep over.
Yes, please do that if you can, it’ll be nice to connect with our listeners a little bit more.
Well until next week, when we are back with dirty john, keep safe & well out there.
Yep, thank you for listening.
Bye.
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