UK UK - Melanie Hall, 25, Bath, Somerset, 9 June 1996

[jojojaja]

Have Fred and Rosemary West ever been considered for this?
Sometimes they killed independently. They also hit outside their local area, Bath isn't that far and where her body was found, even closer to Gloucester.
Just some speculation.

 

[tes1984]

No way it could have been Fred and Rose West. They were both in custody from 1994, and Fred killed himself in custody in 1995.

 

[Konstantin]

So the prevailing police theory is that Melanie left the club with someone she knew, possibly someone she befriended in the club.

What happened next? If she got into a car with her killer, did they go to his home or another location first where she was killed, and then was wrapped in the bags and tied with rope and dumped after that?

Did the police ever manage to find out who the man she was dancing with was, who gave her a kiss and angered her boyfriend? Is there any other witness report that this happened or is her boyfriend the only person who reported this?

The police seem pretty convinced that her boyfriend is innocent, although he does not appear to have had an alibi for the time after he left the club and that weekend.

 

[tes1984]

So the prevailing police theory is that Melanie left the club with someone she knew, possibly someone she befriended in the club.

What happened next? If she got into a car with her killer, did they go to his home or another location first where she was killed, and then was wrapped in the bags and tied with rope and dumped after that?

Did the police ever manage to find out who the man she was dancing with was, who gave her a kiss and angered her boyfriend? Is there any other witness report that this happened or is her boyfriend the only person who reported this?

The police seem pretty convinced that her boyfriend is innocent, although he does not appear to have had an alibi for the time after he left the club and that weekend.

The police seem to suspect that it was someone Melanie knew, but they didn't rule out a stranger abduction and quizzed a lot of taxi drivers. Bath had a major problem with men hanging around outside clubs pretending to be mini cab drivers.

There are quite a few options available for where Melanie could have gone. The focus seems to be on an area to the west of Bath. All her stuff was at her boyfriend's as she was supposed to be staying the weekend.

I don't think the man dancing in the club has ever been identified. Another witness saw a girl like Melanie sitting with a dark haired man near the club entrance.

The boyfriend seems to have been eliminated from enquiries, although in the documentary, one of the ex cops is very dismissive of the boyfriend's alibi.

 

[Konstantin]

There are quite a few options available for where Melanie could have gone. The focus seems to be on an area to the west of Bath. All her stuff was at her boyfriend's as she was supposed to be staying the weekend.

And it doesn't seem like Melanie was aware that her boyfriend had gone off in a huff. His story, according to the documentary, is that he saw her dancing with another man, got upset and went to sit in his car imagining that she would come out to find him (he sounds very childish to me). When she didn't - and how could she know he had gone to sit in his car as opposed to outside for some air, a cigarette, to the toilet, etc -- he drove home.

So he expected her to make her way alone to his house very late at night/early in the morning? And then he sulks in his house all weekend? Was he not wondering where Melanie was? Did I miss something about that -- even if he was upset about her, would he not want to at least know she was OK? And this was a doctor?

The documentary implied that Melanie, her boyfriend and friends had had a lovely day together, so they get to the club and suddenly the boyfriend gets ridiculously upset over Melanie dancing with another man in a nightclub where people dance? I assume this was not the first time this type of behaviour manifested?

I guess I am just upset with this guy after watching the documentary as he seemed to be very thoughtless about Melanie's wellbeing.

I also felt that the ex cop was dismissive about his alibi.

 

[jojojaja]

No way it could have been Fred and Rose West. They were both in custody from 1994, and Fred killed himself in custody in 1995.

I should have checked the dates.
Partially I wanted to spark some discussion tbh.

 

[jojojaja]

In 2019, DCI James Riccio confirmed that DNA traces were found on a blue rope "...which was wrapped around thin black bin liners which had contained her body".

Why does he say that the bin liners had contained her body?

A "thin black bin liner" sounds like a domestic bin liner, rather than the thicker bin liners used by builders etc.

There seem to be a few contrasting reports about how Melanie's body was left at the dump site. Very confusing...

Bin liners won't have stayed whole, reg

And it doesn't seem like Melanie was aware that her boyfriend had gone off in a huff. His story, according to the documentary, is that he saw her dancing with another man, got upset and went to sit in his car imagining that she would come out to find him (he sounds very childish to me). When she didn't - and how could she know he had gone to sit in his car as opposed to outside for some air, a cigarette, to the toilet, etc -- he drove home.

So he expected her to make her way alone to his house very late at night/early in the morning? And then he sulks in his house all weekend? Was he not wondering where Melanie was? Did I miss something about that -- even if he was upset about her, would he not want to at least know she was OK? And this was a doctor?

The documentary implied that Melanie, her boyfriend and friends had had a lovely day together, so they get to the club and suddenly the boyfriend gets ridiculously upset over Melanie dancing with another man in a nightclub where people dance? I assume this was not the first time this type of behaviour manifested?

I guess I am just upset with this guy after watching the documentary as he seemed to be very thoughtless about Melanie's wellbeing.

I also felt that the ex cop was dismissive about his alibi.

Re-posting to keep these items in mind..
Did the perp take Melanie's belongings as trophies, liked the colour blue, to delay identification, to sell, to wear themselves, or to give away? imo, speculation,

4 October 2019

Blue rope could hold DNA clue into 1996 murder of Melanie Hall

Eleven arrests have been made during the investigation into Ms Hall's murder, but no-one has ever been charged.

news.sky.com

View attachment 565798
"We recovered a 13-metre length of 4mm rope from the scene, made up from four separate lengths knotted together.
"In addition to the three knots joining the ropes, there were four other knots on the rope - a total of seven knots.
"It's commercially manufactured rope and commonly used on building sites and for drawing electrical cable through trunking."

''Ms Hall's pale blue silk dress, black suede shoes, cream jacket and black handbag have never been found, along with cosmetics, her cheque book and bank card.
Her jewellery including a Next watch with expanding bracelet and a pair of silver drop earrings are also missing''
View attachment 565799
View attachment 565800

I remember rope like this being sold, I can't recall where, maybe diy stores, but I recall using it as washing line.

 

[jojojaja]

It would have to be someone else as the main suspect is supposedly a resident of Bath, which LB has never been... well not to my knowledge anyway. Thanks for the recent news reports Supernovae.

I'm still catching up with thread posts. But I watched something on Levi Bellfield recently where he was brought up as a possible perp for this. Levi knew Bristol and Bath, his long term gf the one who originally called police about him, she said he went to Bristol regularly to get his drugs, his dealer lived there and sometimes went every fortnight.
I don't think Bellfield should be ruled out.
Also Bellfield was always changing vehicles.
They also mention how she had blunt force trauma to her head.

Edit: DNA on the rope would rule him out unless he had an accomplice, I recall he took a work colleague out one time and then went and hit a woman at a bus stop right in front of him.

 

[jojojaja]

The Sun's source is most likely a tea lady in the police canteen lol
The Sun does love sensationalism

A lot of newspapers used to phone tap and then write something vague as their source, a friend said, being one example.

 

[jojojaja]

Some of these links are already dead. It's probably a good idea to at least copy and paste some of the relevant parts and attach photos for the future. Some of these papers then get archived and hidden behind paywall.

 

[jojojaja]

I think Bellfield could be a likely suspect. She fits his modus operandi.

I think he began killing way before Milly.

I think he killed Patsy Morris, Melanie Hall, Lin and Megan Russell, Debbie Linsley Debbie Linsley murder: Reward offer over 1988 train death, Sally-Ann Light (stabbed outside the Tower of London in '89, can't find anything), Penny Bell http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Penny_Bell; there are more I can't quite find right now. I think though, that whoever killed Melanie is a psycho and this was not a one-off murder.

Debbie Linsley has a full DNA of her murderer in the database. Bellfield can't be her killer.
Did Bellfield ever stab anyone? I know people's mo can change, but I only remember him being a blunt force trauma kind of guy.

Edit: he said he strangled Millie Dowler.

 

[jojojaja]

"Why does he say that the bin liners had contained her body?"

Sorry I don't know how I messed up my response to that.
I am guessing the bag had not only disintegrated, but may have moved. Plant and tree roots, animal activity. Bugs and worms, even vibrations from vehicles, considering where they were etc.
Probably the bones had broken out of the bag that had once contained them. They were there a long time.

 

[tes1984]

Would Melanie have wanted to go back to her family home at 2am?

I'm still catching up with thread posts. But I watched something on Levi Bellfield recently where he was brought up as a possible perp for this. Levi knew Bristol and Bath, his long term gf the one who originally called police about him, she said he went to Bristol regularly to get his drugs, his dealer lived there and sometimes went every fortnight.
I don't think Bellfield should be ruled out.
Also Bellfield was always changing vehicles.
They also mention how she had blunt force trauma to her head.

Edit: DNA on the rope would rule him out unless he had an accomplice, I recall he took a work colleague out one time and then went and hit a woman at a bus stop right in front of him.

Melanie was definitely Bellfield's 'type' but I've never seen anything to link him to Bath.

He's also a fantasist and attention seeker, often claiming credit for murders he has nothing to do with. He likes being centre of attention, wasting police time, and giving false hope to the families of cold case victims.

 

[tes1984]

"Why does he say that the bin liners had contained her body?"

Sorry I don't know how I messed up my response to that.
I am guessing the bag had not only disintegrated, but may have moved. Plant and tree roots, animal activity. Bugs and worms, even vibrations from vehicles, considering where they were etc.
Probably the bones had broken out of the bag that had once contained them. They were there a long time.

From what I know, five regular bin bags were wrapped around Melanie and secured together with the blue rope. She wasn't ever inside the binbags as such.

 

[jojojaja]

From what I know, five regular bin bags were wrapped around Melanie and secured together with the blue rope. She wasn't ever inside the binbags as such.

Wow, this is odd. Sounds more like it was for transporting her in a vehicle, to stop her touching anything than being useful for anything else.
I would have also thought she would have been heavy and unwieldy to take out of the vehicle, dodge through whatever shrubbery was there, stems and twigs getting caught in the bindings, not to mention trying to wedge her in there somehow. Could there have been more than one person maybe?

 

[jojojaja]

Would Melanie have wanted to go back to her family home at 2am?

Melanie was definitely Bellfield's 'type' but I've never seen anything to link him to Bath.

He's also a fantasist and attention seeker, often claiming credit for murders he has nothing to do with. He likes being centre of attention, wasting police time, and giving false hope to the families of cold case victims.

Yes I think it's all a game to him now. He was so mobile outside that it must get boring for him having to stay put. I won't put aside every crime he admits to though.
Melanie's skull was fractured, jaw broken etc, this sounds like something he would do.

The dna on the bindings couldn't have been a match, so unless he had an accomplice.
Also that rope may have also been handled by someone else before this person got hold of it, they may have used gloves.
I remember that rope could be bought unwrapped, google blue synthetic rope and it shows it can still be bough lit unwrapped.

I think it was David Wilson his ex spoke to, about where he went. Also I think it was probably regarding Melanie.

 

[jojojaja]

Killers Behind Bars - Levi Bellfield

Colin Sutton makes an appearance in there too.

Around 22:36 in the cold cases are brought up

 

[dotr]

Public Portal

Murder of Melanie Hall​

Appeal for information regarding the murder of Melanie Hall

Appeal for information​

Avon and Somerset Police has issued a new appeal for information relating to the murder of 25-year-old Melanie Hall, whose remains were found in 2009.

Melanie, who lived in Wiltshire and was a clerical worker at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, was last seen at 1.10am on Sunday 9 June, 1996, sitting on a stool at the edge of the dancefloor in Cadillacs nightclub (now Walcot House) in Walcot Street, Bath, following a night out with friends.

This remains the last confirmed sighting of Melanie alive. Her remains were found next to the junction 14 northbound slipway of the M5 (Thornbury) by a workman on 5 October 2009.

Can you help the investigation team?

Do you know the man in the E-fit we’ve re-released (see photo gallery)? He’s described as white, in his mid to late 20s, 5ft 10ins, of medium build, with dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, bushy eyebrows and clean shaven. He was wearing black trousers, black shoes and a brown silk shirt. It’s possible he had a gold hooped earring in his right ear and wore a flashy gold watch.

• We have a sighting of a woman arguing with a man in Old Orchard (around the corner from the nightclub’s entrance) between 1.45am and 2am – we haven’t ruled out the fact this could have been Melanie – so if this was you, or you have any further information, we’d like to hear from you.
• 
  
• Were you involved in the aftermath of this crime in any way? Maybe you assisted with the deposition of Melanie’s body but were not involved in the murder. We want to hear from you now.
• 
  
• Were you in Cadillacs nightclub that night? It was the evening where England drew 1-1 with Switzerland in the opening game of the football Euro 96 Championships? If you were there and haven’t spoken to police, please contact us.
• 
  
• Did you see any suspicious activity or a vehicle parked on the northbound J14 slip road of the M5 at Thornbury in the early hours of Sunday 9 June 1996, or the days immediately afterwards?
• Are you concerned about the change in behaviour of a friend or relative, or anyone showing a particular interest in this inquiry?
• 
  
• Do you have information on where Melanie’s clothing or belongings may be? They’ve never been found. They include a pale blue silk dress with a round neck, black suede mule shoes with straps across the front and an open toe, size 5 or 6, a cream single-breasted, long-sleeved jacket and a black satchel-type handbag.
• 
  
• In Melanie’s handbag were cosmetics and a Midland cheque book and bank card. Also missing are items of jewellery including a Next watch with expanding bracelet and silver drop earrings. Where are these items? Have you ever seen them?''

• Contact Information​

  If you would prefer to speak to someone please call 101 and ask for Avon and Somerset Constabulary and say you have information relating to Operation Denmark.
  
  Crimestoppers can also be contacted on 0800 555111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org

 

[tes1984]

Wow, this is odd. Sounds more like it was for transporting her in a vehicle, to stop her touching anything than being useful for anything else.
I would have also thought she would have been heavy and unwieldy to take out of the vehicle, dodge through whatever shrubbery was there, stems and twigs getting caught in the bindings, not to mention trying to wedge her in there somehow. Could there have been more than one person maybe?

I think police suspect more than one person may have been involved in the disposal of Melanie's remains.

They've never said how far into the undergrowth she was found though. Obviously the further from the road she was, the less likely it was that one person carried her there.

I wouldn't rule out a solo offender though. Sometimes killers drag (rather than carry) their victims. Pathologists look for damage to the heels of victims, although they wouldn't have been able to tell with Melanie after 13 years.

 

[jojojaja]

Killers Behind Bars - Levi Bellfield

Colin Sutton makes an appearance in there too

I think police suspect more than one person may have been involved in the disposal of Melanie's remains.

They've never said how far into the undergrowth she was found though. Obviously the further from the road she was, the less likely it was that one person carried her there.

I wouldn't rule out a solo offender though. Sometimes killers drag (rather than carry) their victims. Pathologists look for damage to the heels of victims, although they wouldn't have been able to tell with Melanie after 13 years.

With Lynne Weedon the police said she was dragged by her heels before being thrown into the electrical substation. I always thought that odd, her shoes would have come off for one thing (although one newspaper said she had boots on, I would still think they would have come off while being pulled along). There would have been a lot of blood the other end of her though, head wounds really do bleed a lot, and with the blow she had...

Melanie sounds like she had more than one blow, fractured skull, broken cheek bone and jaw. That's only what the bones tell, any flesh wounds and we wouldn't know.