Since news broke of Ian Brady's death yesterday, everyone's been asking the same question - did he reveal the secret of where Keith Bennett was buried?
It seems like it would be the kind thing to do, given 12-year-old Bennett's family have spent the last 50 years searching for his remains. In fact, his mother Winnie would often dig randomly in the Moors in an attempt to give her son a proper burial. Tragically, she died in 2012 without ever knowing the truth.
Winnie in a desperate attempt to find her son. Credit: PA Images
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However, Brady also died without ever revealing his secrets. Some think it may be down to him holding some kind of power over the family, others think he was just evil. I'll let you decide.
His lawyer, Robin Makin, who is also the executor of Brady's will, spent time with him in his final hours. He appeared on Radio 4's Today programme to discuss their final meeting. He said: "I would very much hope that the remains can be found, but unfortunately I haven't got any information that's going to assist."
He explained: "We discussed a few things but he was extremely weak and it was sort of very, very difficult for him.
"It was somebody who was in his last hours really."
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Everyone was keen to know what exactly they discussed. However the reality will be no comfort to the families of the five children who he and Myra Hindley tortured to death.
He explained: "When he was able to speak, he spoke to me - we discussed a few things but not as extensively as on previous occasions.
"He wanted to make sure that his legal and preparatory wishes were going to be fulfilled by me."
This discussion included 'disposal arrangements' and 'sorting out his affairs'.
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Winnie Johnson. Credit: PA Images
Makin revealed that he thought Brady didn't actually know where Keith was buried. He said: "I would be very surprised if he really had anything that was useful.
"He did go to the Moors a long time ago and I suspect if he had any information he would have provided it then."
The lawyer also said that in the 25 years that he visited Brady, he never actually asked him where Keith was buried.
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He was also pressed on whether or not he thought Brady was 'evil'. Makin explained: "That's a description obviously the media... obviously what he did was at the highest level of criminality.
"I think what's more interesting is what caused his mind to develop in that way and was it a mental illness and what caused the mental illness and that sort of thing."
Credit: PA
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A few weeks before Winnie died in 2012, it emerged that Brady had written a letter to her. However, there were strict instructions that the letter was not to be opened until after he had died. So where is it now?
Police searched through hundreds of documents in an attempt to find the letter. It took them over ten hours.
Brady's mental health advocate Jackie Powell claimed that she received the letter in a sealed envelope. Police who were investigating the claims arrested her on suspicion of preventing the lawful burial of a body. However, she was later released without charge, reports the Mirror.
Many people believed that it was simply a cruel game. That is until an envelope with the words 'to be opened in the event of my death' written on the front was found. It was believed to be written in Brady's handwriting. The envelope was empty.
Keith Bennett. Credit: PA Images
Martin Bottomley, Head of Investigative Review of Greater Manchester Police's Major and Cold Case Crime Unit, discussed the letter back in 2013. He said: "As soon as we were made aware of the existence of this alleged letter, we made exhaustive attempts to obtain it to establish whether or not its contents would assist us in finding Keith's body.
"That resulted in the warrants we carried out in the South Wales area and at Ashworth Hospital in August 2012.
"However, despite seizing numerous documents and a search of Brady's cell, no such letter has been recovered.
"That in itself does not prove or disprove the letter's existence - it might have been destroyed, it might be hidden elsewhere, it may be in someone else's possession, or it may simply never have existed in the first place and this has been yet more mind games by Brady."
I guess now we'll never know.
Featured Image Credit: PA Images