Rhiannon Ingle
Serial killer Levi Bellfield has signed a confession to a brutal double murder of a woman and her daughter.
The bombshell confession could now set a man free after being jailed for the two killings, which took place 27 years ago.
The confessor in question, Levi Bellfield, has since triggered a mammoth investigation conducted by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
Bellfield, who murdered 13-year-old English schoolgirl Milly Dowler back in 2002, signed a written confession claiming responsibility for the killings of Lin Russell and her daughter Megan, which horrified the nation 27 years ago.
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Lin was just 45 at the time when she was horrifically bludgeoned to death with a hammer in Chillenden, Kent, in 1996.
The mother was with her two young daughters at the time, nine-year-old Josie and Megan, six, who were also attacked.
Only Josie survived the devastating attack.
However, while the statement may have shone a new light on the case, it should be noted that Bellfield previously claimed responsibility for the two murders but later retracted the statement.
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In the updated confession written at the start of this year, Bellfield outlined more specifics about the events which took place all those years ago.
His solicitor Theresa Clark has not yet given many details about the bombshell confession.
Speaking of her client, she said: "All I can say is that he accepts responsibility."
The convicted killer in question, Michael Stone, is currently serving life for the brutal double-murder of Lin and Megan, but is now hoping that the recent confession will set him free.
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Stone, 62, has alleged that Bellfield's shock statement contains key information about the gruesome hammer attack which only the killer would know about.
Stone was convicted for the two murders in 1998 and 2001 but has consistently denied any involvement in the crimes.
In an exclusive interview from HMP Frankland, he told the Mirror: "I’ve been in prison for 26 years for a crime I did not commit.
"I know that he [Bellfield] did those murders. He’s just revealed some information recently that’s come to me through lawyers. It’s information that he would only know if he had done it."
Stone went on to say: "His crimes have hurt a lot of people, not just the people he murdered and their families.
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"Other people have been blamed [for Bellfield’s crimes]."
Bellfield's initial four-page long confession was released in February 2022 but, when it became publicised, the criminal completely denied his claims.
CCRC reported that there was no forensic evidence to connect Bellfield to the crimes some months after the first confession in June of last year.
"This is a new and more detailed one," Clark revealed of the new signed statement.
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She explained: "The statement made last year was never signed by him but he’s subsequently done a written statement which he’s signed.
"That’s been forwarded to the CCRC for their consideration in relation to the Stone appeal. It hasn’t been sent to Kent Police because they say they have no interest in it."
A CCRC spokesman said of Stone’s case: "This case is currently under review and no final decision has yet been reached on the application."
LADbible has reached out to Kent Police for comment.