A TRIPLE murderer from Coventry is suspected of the attack which led to the death of notorious child-killer Ian Huntley.
Huntley, 52, who killed ten-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002, died on Friday (March 6) when his life support was switched off.Huntley, 52, who killed ten-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002, died on Friday (March 6) when his life support was switched off.
He had suffered significant head trauma when he was attacked with a makeshift weapon at HMP Frankland, a high security prison in County Durham, on February 26.
Anthony Russell, formerly of Riley Square in Coventry, is reported to have been responsible for the attack on the Soham double murderer, according to reports by the BBC and the Daily Mail.
Russell, 43, is serving a whole life-term for murdering Julie Williams, her son David Williams and Nicole McGregor in the space of seven days in October 2020.
Durham Constabulary is preparing a file for the Crown Prosecution Service for the consideration of charges.
A spokesperson for the force said a police investigation into the circumstances of the incident was ongoing.
Russell killed three times in the space of seven days in October 2020.
His reign of terror started on October 23 when Julie Williams phoned police to report her 31 year-old son David had not been seen for two days.
Officers forced their way into her Coventry home and found the 58-year-old dead on the living room floor, having been killed in a violent attack by Russell earlier in the day.
Russell fled Coventry on October 26 after the discovery of Julie’s body, with money and a mobile phone he had robbed from a 78-year-old man the day before.
Later that day officers raided Russell’s Coventry home after a tip-off he had confessed to killing of both Julie and David. There they found David’s body hidden under a bed.
The hunt was launched for Russell who had travelled to Kenilworth by bus where he dragged a 71-year-old woman along the ground before robbing her of £200.
Russell then went on to Leamington by bus where 18-weeks-pregnant Nicole, who he had never previously met, became his third victim. Her body was found on Newbold Comyn a few days later. He was also found guilty of her rape.
Russell was seen leaving Leamington on foot on October 28, where he attacked a 75-year-old man before driving off in his car.
A nationwide hunt ended two days later when Russell was found in Staffordshire.
Russell was told he would never be released from prison when he was sentenced at Warwick Crown Court in 2022.
In the summer of 2002, Huntley lured Holly and Jessica back to his home in Soham in Cambridgeshire, and killed them. Their bodies were found in a ditch in Suffolk nearly a fortnight later.
Huntley was convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 40 years for the murders.
