Myra Hindley, born July 23, 1942, emerged as one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers through her active participation in the Moors Murders – the abduction, torture and killing of five children with her partner Ian Brady, between 1963-1965.
Her central role in these crimes, including luring victims and participating in their sexual assault and murder, fundamentally challenged contemporary gender stereotypes about female criminality and violence.
Dubbed “the most evil woman in Britain” by the press, Hindley’s metamorphosis from a working-class Manchester girl to a remorseless child killer continues to perplex criminologists and haunt the national consciousness. The enduring notoriety of her crimes lies not just in their brutality, but in how completely they dismantled societal assumptions about women’s capacity for violence.
NAME: Myra Hindley
ALIAS: The Moors murderer
DOB: July 23, 1942
COUNTRY: Manchester, UK
VICTIMS: 5 (convicted of 2)
ARREST: October 11, 1965
SENTENCE: Received two concurrent life sentences in 1966
PRISON: Highpoint Prison, Suffolk
WHERE IS Myra Hindley NOW?
- Received two concurrent life sentences in 1966
Myra Hindley died November 2002 at age 60, after spending 36 years behind bars.
Myra Hindley, one of Britain’s most notorious criminals as part of the Moors Murderers, died at age 60 after suffering respiratory failure. The convicted killer had been hospitalized at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds following a suspected heart attack. [1]
Hindley died after 36 years behind bars, having been shuttled between high-security prisons like Holloway and psychiatric facilities such as Highpoint during her decades of confinement.
In 1998, when the Parole Board surprisingly recommended her transfer to an open prison, Hindley herself refused the move—a decision that landed her instead at HMP Highpoint in Suffolk. Confined to the women’s wing (Highpoint North), she spent nearly five years there as her case gained notoriety. By 2002, it appeared she might actually walk free, sparking government panic. But the chain-smoking 60-year-old never left her cell alive, dying before any release could be implemented. [2]
Despite mounting a persistent campaign for release—claiming both rehabilitation and coercion by Brady—she remained incarcerated until her death. Though she garnered surprising support from certain clergy and reform advocates, the British justice system and public opinion remained unmoved, consistently rejecting her parole bids given the unimaginable cruelty of her crimes.
Hindley’s prison years were marked by volatile relationships and failed opportunities. Her first significant connection was with prison warden Patricia Cairns, who aided in a botched escape attempt—a conspiracy that earned Cairns a six-year sentence. Later, at HMP Durham, Hindley formed a brief but infamous friendship with fellow serial killer Rose West (of the “House of Horrors” murders). What began as an unlikely bond between two of Britain’s most notorious female criminals eventually turned toxic, leaving them bitter enemies. [2]
- November 15, 2002: Died at age 60 of respiratory failure
Crimes COMMITTED by Myra Hindley
From July 1963 to October 1965, Myra Hindley and Ian Brady terrorized Greater Manchester, abducting, torturing, and murdering five victims aged between 10 and 17 years old in what became known as the Moors Murders. Despite her direct involvement in all five killings, Hindley was only convicted for the murders of Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans at their 1966 trial, while Brady was found guilty of three murders.
Hindley played a pivotal role as the predator’s bait, weaponizing her unassuming demeanor and feigned warmth to ensnare vulnerable children. The killings were marked by exceptional brutality, with victims enduring torture, sexual violence, and psychological torment before their deaths. Investigators uncovered a trove of chilling evidence – including posed photographs and audio tapes capturing the children’s final, terrified moments – that laid bare the killers’ sadism and shocked the nation to its core.
Myra Hindley Victims:
Pauline Reade (16) – July 12, 1963
Hindley lured Pauline into her car under the pretense of searching for a lost glove as the teen walked to a dance. Driven to Saddleworth Moor, Brady joined them on his motorcycle. Pauline was sexually assaulted and murdered—her throat slit twice. Her body remained hidden until 1987, when the killers’ confessions led to its discovery. Brady claimed Hindley participated; she insisted she waited in the car.
John Kilbride (12) – November 23, 1963
The schoolboy vanished after Hindley offered him a “ride home” from Ashton-under-Lyne market. Instead, Brady and Hindley took him to the moors under the same “lost glove” ruse. John was sexually assaulted and strangled. His body was found in October 1965, buried on Saddleworth Moor.
Keith Bennett (12) – June 16, 1964
Keith was abducted near his grandmother’s home in Longsight, driven to the moors, and murdered. His body has never been found—the only victim not recovered. Brady callously withheld its location, torturing Keith’s mother, Winnie Johnson, who died in 2012 without closure. A potential lead in 2022 proved false.
Lesley Ann Downey (10) – December 26, 1964
Snatched from a Boxing Day fairground, Lesley was taken to Brady and Hindley’s home, where she was bound, stripped, and photographed. A harrowing 16-minute tape captured her begging for help before her murder. Her body was later unearthed on the moors.
Edward Evans (17) – October 6, 1965
The final victim, Edward, was lured to their house as part of Brady’s bid to recruit Hindley’s brother-in-law, David Smith. Smith witnessed Brady axe Edward before strangling him. Forced to help clean up, Smith later fled and alerted police—leading to the pair’s arrest. Edward’s body, wrapped in plastic, was found in their home.
Capture & Investigation of Myra Hindley
The killers’ reign of terror unraveled on October 6, 1965, when David Smith—Hindley’s brother-in-law—witnessed Brady bludgeon 17-year-old Edward Evans to death with an axe in their home. Traumatized by what he saw, Smith contacted police, who immediately searched the property.
The investigation escalated when police discovered a left luggage ticket leading to suitcases at Manchester Central Station, containing horrific photographs and audio tapes of Lesley Ann Downey’s abuse, found Hindley’s notebook with “John Kilbride” written ominously inside, and examined holiday snapshots of the couple on Saddleworth Moor. Guided by these clues, authorities combed Saddleworth Moor, where they unearthed Lesley Ann Downey’s body (December 1965) and John Kilbride’s remains (October 1965).
By November 1965, forensic evidence tied the pair to five child murders. They were initially charged with three counts of murder—Evans, Downey and Kilbride—with more charges following later confessions.
Myra Hindley Trial & Convictions
April 27–May 6, 1966: The trial of Hindley and Brady lasted just 14 days, with the jury delivering guilty verdicts after a mere two hours of deliberation.
The jury convicted 23-year-old Myra Hindley on three counts: the murders of Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans and an accessory to John Kilbride’s murder, sheltering Ian Brady with full knowledge of John Kilbride’s killing.
Though acquitted of directly killing 12-year-old John Kilbride, she received two life sentences to run concurrently. This sentencing came just months after Britain abolished capital punishment – an irony not lost on Hindley, who later admitted in prison that she wished she’d faced the gallows rather than endure decades of incarceration.
While already serving life sentences, the pair finally admitted to murdering Pauline Reade (body recovered that year) and killing Keith Bennett (whose remains remain missing).
Despite later claims of remorse and attempts to blame Brady, Hindley failed to convince the public of her rehabilitation, saw all parole requests rejected amid national outcry and died incarcerated in 2002—a fate widely deemed appropriate.
The swift jury verdict reflected the overwhelming evidence, while Hindley’s lifelong imprisonment became symbolic of British justice’s stance on unforgivable crimes.
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REFERENCES / CITATIONS:
[1] The Guardian: Myra Hindley dies in hospital – Nov 15, 2002
[2] Suffolk Live: Infamous Moors murderer Myra Hindley’s final days spent rotting in a Suffolk prison – January 22, 2022
Books About Myra Hindley
One of Your Own: The Life and Death of Myra Hindley
On November 15, 2002, Myra Hindley died in prison, one of the rare women whose crimes were deemed so indefensible that “life” really did mean “life.” Without a doubt Britain’s most notorious murderess…
The Moors Murderers: The Full Story of Ian Brady & Myra Hindley
A deep dive into the lives and crimes of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley—featuring newly released photos from a collection called “The Tartan Album.”…
This Woman: Myra Hindley’s Prison Love Affair and Escape Attempt
In 1973, Myra Hindley, the most notorious woman in Britain, is serving a life sentence for the moors murders – a case that shocked the world. Behind bars she has fallen in love….
Evil Relations: The Man Who Bore Witness Against the Moors Murderers
Despite standing as chief prosecution witness in the Moors Murders trial, David Smith was vilified by the public due to the accusations thrown at him by Myra Hindley and Ian Brady about his involvement in their crimes…
TV Shows & Docs Featuring Myra Hindley
Born to kill? S1.E4 – Myra Hindley
First-hand accounts add details to a children-killing couple
TV Series / Documentary | 2011
Crimes That Shook Britain – S6.E5 – Moors Murders
The Moors Murders – An insight into the crimes of Myra Hindley and Ian Brady, featuring interviews with the family of Keith Bennett, who are still campaigning to find his body.
TV Series / Documentary | 2006
Twisted – S1.E3 – Myra Hindley
TWISTED takes an in-depth look at some of the world’s most prolific serial killers through first-hand accounts and testaments of the people who knew them best.
TV Series / Documentary | 2010
Fred Dinenage Murder Casebook – S3.E2 – The Moors Murders
Ian Brady and Myra Hindley abducted, assaulted and murdered 5 children in the Manchester area, burying 4 of them on Saddleworth Moor. 50 years later, Fred Dinenage asks who were this young couple whose mug shots have haunted the public for so many years?
TV Series / Documentary | 2011
PRIME VIDEO
MORE ARTICLES ABOUT Myra Hindley
A selection of interesting articles about Myra Hindley, sourced and curated from around the web:
The Moors Murders explained: Terrifying details behind Ian Brady and Myra Hindley’s crimes
Express | Author: Charlie Bradley | September 30, 2022
Infamous Moors murderer Myra Hindley’s final days spent rotting in a Suffolk prison
Suffolk Live | Author: Holly Hume | January 22, 2022
Myra Hindley dies in hospital
The Guardian | Author: Staff and agencies | November 15, 2002
