Police respond to BBC Moors Murder documentary

Greater Manchester Police has responded to a BBC Moors Murder documentary aired on television last night.

The new documentary investigating the Moors Murders has uncovered new evidence which could help in a new search for the body of the final missing victim. 

This year, marks the 60 years since the arrest of  Ian Brady and Myra Hindley (pictured below), ending a harrowing series of crimes in which the pair went on a killing spree claiming the lives of  five children aged between 10 and 17. 

Brady and Hindley buried the children's bodies on Saddleworth Moor - but the remains of 12-year-old Keith Bennett, who disappeared on June 16, 1964, have never been found despite repeated searches of the bleak land. He was on his way to his grandmother's house, who lived close to his home in Chorlton-on-Medlock.

Police searched Saddleworth Moor in 1986 following reports Hindley and Brady had confessed to his murder.

Even though the pair were both permitted to visit the moor to point out Keith's remains, his body was never found.

Keith's mother Winnie Johnson spent the rest of her life trying to locate her son, even taking to the moor herself, armed with a spade.

She died in 2012. A plaque in her and Keith's memory overlooks Saddleworth Moor.

Now, a two-part series from the BBC, The Moors Murders: A Search for Justice, will draw on newly-discovered documents and recordings of the infamous serial child killers. 

In response to the documentary, Greater Manchester Police said: “Investigations into Keith’s disappearance have remained open since 1964.  

“While visible searches have paused over time, with the most recent taking place in 2022, an investigation team within our Major Crime Review Unit, continues our work to find the answers Keith's family deserves. 

"Investigative activity continues, outside of public view, in the hope further evidence relating to this case can be uncovered and we are committed to act where credible information is shared. 

"We are in regular contact with Keith’s family, who are central to any action we take. They are kept updated on the ongoing lines of enquiry – some of which, could be jeopardised by public disclosure, and no further comment on these matters will be given. 

"Greater Manchester Police remains very interested in any information that could lead to the discovery of Keith, and we will be seeking to obtain, review and establish the relevance of all the information held by the documentary team."

The first episode of The Moors Murders: A Search for Justice was aired on BBC Two last night, with part two showing on the channel at 9pm next Wednesday.