Julies Smailes & Rachel Tough
CASE SUMMARY
In October 1996, firefighters in Leadgate extinguished a blaze at the home of 27-year-old Julie Smailes. Inside, she was found dead in bed – bound and stabbed over 40 times. The fire had been set to cover up her murder.
Two years later, just miles away, 18-year-old Rachel Tough was found bludgeoned to death with a hammer. The man who owned the house became the prime suspect in both cases – and rumours linked him to even more local killings.
After a week-long manhunt, he was found dead having hung himself.
DNA would later place Thompson at the scene of Julie’s murder, but police remain convinced a number of others were present and still remain at large.
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