Michael Stone: UK: Convicted of beating a mother and her daughter to death. But was he guilty? Now a serial rapist named Levi Bellfield, who once confessed to the murders but later retracted, has confessed to being in the area where a mother and daughter were bludgeoned to death - but denied playing a part in their murders. Reporter Amie Gordon; Daily Mail..."The family were ambushed as they walked home along a country lane in Chillenden, Kent, with their dog after a school swimming gala. Lin, Megan and dog Lucy died, and drug addict Michael Stone was arrested the following year and remains in prison, serving three life sentences. But no scientific or identification evidence has ever linked him to the scene and he has always protested his innocence."

BACKGROUND: From headnote to previous (July 14) post of this Blog: "Michael Stone. Kent. (UK) He has twice been found guilty and is serving three life sentences for killing the 45-year-old mother and her six-year-old daughter, who were found bludgeoned to death on July 9, 1996. Now his lawyer wants a balaclava discovered half a mile away from the murder scene (which could be a key piece of evidence) to be tested using new DNA techniques..."No scientific or identification evidence links Stone to the scene. The Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) which investigates possible miscarriages of justice, is still looking into the case. Mark McDonald, Stone's barrister, insists his client is not the culprit, and instead claims notorious serial killer Levi Bellfield has confessed to the murders."

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PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "But in a new 15-page statement, he now maintains he was working that day - driving his taxi from Middlesex to Dover, some 11 miles from Chillenden.

 And while he previously denied ever visiting the area, he has now claimed he dated a woman whose father ran a pub in Chillenden, and said he drove down the lane where the murders took place.  He has also denied helping Stone.  According to The Sun, Bellfield states: 'Much speculation has been said about me and Michael Stone. I have never met or spoken to Stone. I have no loyalties to Stone.' Michael Stone, 61, a drug addict with prior convictions, was arrested a year after the attack and charged with the murders.  He is currently serving three life sentences - at the same jail as Bellfield in Durham." 

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STORY: "Levi Bellfield confesses to being in the area where Lin and Megan Russell were murdered and driving a beige car similar to one spotted by the crime scene,  Daily Mail Online (Reporter Amie Gordon) reports, published on September 4, 2021.

KEY POINTS: "Levi Bellfield has admitted being near scene of notorious 1996 murder in Kent. Lin, 45, and six-year-old Megan Russell were bludgeoned to death in Chillenden.  Serial killer, 53, confessed to being familiar with the area in a 15-page statement. Michael Stone serving life for Lin and Megan's deaths but claims he is innocent."

GIST: Triple killer Levi Bellfield has confessed to being in the area where a mother and daughter were bludgeoned to death - but denied playing a part in their murders.  

Lin Russell, 45, her daughters Megan, six, and Josie, nine, were beaten with a hammer in the frenzied attack in 1996 which sent shockwaves around the nation.

The family were ambushed as they walked home along a country lane in Chillenden, Kent, with their dog after a school swimming gala.

Lin, Megan and dog Lucy died, and drug addict Michael Stone was arrested the following year and remains in prison, serving three life sentences. 

But no scientific or identification evidence has ever linked him to the scene and he has always protested his innocence. 

Serial killer Bellfield, 53, has now admitted visiting the area on two occasions and to dating a woman who lived nearby. 

He also said he owned a beige Ford similar to one seen at the crime scene some 25 years ago. 

But the 53-year-old said in a statement he wishes to 'set the record straight' in a bid to distance himself from the murders.  

Former nightclub bouncer Bellfield is serving a whole life term at HMP Frankland - where fellow inmates include Stone and Soham murderer Ian Huntley - for the murders of Milly Dowler, 13, Marsha McDonnell, 19, and Amelie Delagrange, 22.

In 2017, Bellfield claimed he was the man behind the murder of Lin and Megan Russell.

But he later retracted his confession and has never been charged. 

Now, Bellfield has confessed to being in the area - but denied murdering Lin and Megan, according to The Sun. 

In a statement to his lawyer, seen by The Sun, Bellfied wrote: 'I wish to set the record straight. It is my hope that by making this statement a line can be drawn under my suspicion of committing the 1996 Chillenden crimes.'  

Bellfield had previously claimed he was celebrating the birthday of his then-girlfriend Johanna Collings on the day of the murders.

But in a new 15-page statement, he now maintains he was working that day - driving his taxi from Middlesex to Dover, some 11 miles from Chillenden.

And while he previously denied ever visiting the area, he has now claimed he dated a woman whose father ran a pub in Chillenden, and said he drove down the lane where the murders took place. 

He has also denied helping Stone. 

According to The Sun, Bellfield states: 'Much speculation has been said about me and Michael Stone. I have never met or spoken to Stone. I have no loyalties to Stone.'

Michael Stone, 61, a drug addict with prior convictions, was arrested a year after the attack and charged with the murders. 

He is currently serving three life sentences - at the same jail as Bellfield in Durham."   

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TIMELINE: Could Levi Bellfied be behind the murders that sent shockwaves through the nation?

1996: Mother and daughter Lin and Megan ­Russell were murdered along with the family dog as they walked home after a swimming gala around 4pm on Tuesday, July 9, 1996. 

1998: Michael Stone was found guilty of the murders and an attempted murder.

2001: Stone faced a retrial after one of the prisoners withdrew the claim against him. But he was found guilty once more and sentenced to three life-sentences. 

2008: Bellfield jailed for life for murdering Amélie Delagrange, 22, and Marsha McDonnell, 19, and the attempted murder of 18-year-old Kate Sheedy.

2011: Bellfield was convicted of the 2002 murder of Milly Dowler.

2017: Bellfield allegedly claimed he was behind the murders of Lin and Megan. He later retracted his confession and has never been charged. 

2021: Bellfield issues a statement putting himself near the scene of the crimes - but denies murder.  

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The entire story can be read at:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9958515/Levi-Bellfield-confesses-area-Lin-Megan-Russell-murdered.html

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic"  section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com.  Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog;

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FINAL WORD:  (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases):  "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."

Lawyer Radha Natarajan:

Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;

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FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions.   They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they’ve exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!

Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;