‘No evidence’ links twisted double killer Christopher Halliwell to missing chef Claudia Lawrence – but cops are convinced he DID have other victims
Police chief slams 'speculation' but admits cops are convinced the taxi driver killed more than two women
DOUBLE killer Christopher Halliwell probably did murder other victims - but there is no evidence linking him to a string of missing women, a police chief said today.
Wiltshire Chief Constable Mike Veale said he was "sure" other women may have been murdered by the Swindon taxi driver, but a national effort to try to tie Halliwell to further crimes had proved fruitless.
Mr Veale said on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "I am absolutely sure, actually, that he probably has committed other offences, and I'm sure that there may well be other women that have been murdered, but, on the record, there is no evidence, no evidence whatsoever, to link him to any other murder in this country."
Halliwell, now 52, is serving life for murdering Becky Godden, 20, in January 2003 and Sian O'Callaghan, 22, in March 2011.
Former Detective Superintendent Steve Fulcher, who was forced to quit despite nailing the killer, has blasted the force for failing to investigate links to other possible victims.
Missing women feared to have been killed by the maniac include chef Claudia Lawrence, who vanished on her way to work in March 2009.
Defending his force's handling of the case, Mr Veare accused the press of engaging in "pure speculation" as he said Wiltshire Police had worked closely with other forces regarding the killer.
He said: "Despite that information being shared with every other force across the country, there is no evidence, there are no links, that we can substantiate, and these claims within the press are absolutely pure speculation."
Cops are said to be investigating a number of other missing persons cases in the belief that Halliwell was a prolific serial killer.
One theory is he may have killed three women on the anniversary of the day hew split from a girlfriend.
He abducted and murdered his second known victim, clubber Sian, on March 19 2011.
Claudia vanished on the same day two years earlier.
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And Mr Fulcher has previously suggested Halliwell could have been involved with the disappearance of Linda Razzell, who vanished on her way to work in Swindon on March 19, 2002. Her body has never been found.
Her husband Glyn Razzell was sentenced to life in prison for her murder but claims to be innocent and the victim of a conspiracy.
Halliwell reportedly carried out some building work on the Razzell house and allegedly became besotted with her.
Mr Fulcher said: "We know that Halliwell has killed women, has a propensity for killing women, and had a direct relationship with Linda Razzell."
Becky Godden's grieving mum Karen Edwards, who has conducted her own investigation into her daughter's killer, says March 19 was a significant date for the warped cab driver.
She said: "That was the day Halliwell broke up with a girlfriend."
The earliest known historic case which Halliwell has been linked to is Sally Ann John, 23, who was a prostitute working in Swindon when she disappeared on September 8, 1995.
Not only did the sick murderer live yards from Sally Ann, but he also admitted in court to using call girls before and during his marriage.
Her father Glyn John, contacted Wiltshire Police, when the killer was arrested for the murder of O’Callaghan in 2011
He said: “I went to the police and told them Sally Ann would have been known to Halliwell.”
Tragic Sally Ann’s body has never been found and her case was upgraded to a murder inquiry in 2014 shortly after Halliwell was charged with Becky’s murder.
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