DeepSummary
The episode begins by introducing Fred West, born in 1941 in Herefordshire, England. Fred had a difficult childhood, being bullied and labeled as dim, dirty, and troublesome. He showed an early interest in women and girls but was often rejected due to his crude behavior. Fred dropped out of school at 15 and began working on a farm.
In 1960, Fred met 16-year-old Rena Costello, and they had a tumultuous relationship marked by Fred's demands for sex and violent behavior. Rena became pregnant with another man's child, which led to tensions with Fred. After several years of abuse and infidelity, Rena's friend, Anna McFall, went missing in 1967, and it was later revealed that Fred had killed her and buried her body in a cornfield.
Following Anna's disappearance, Fred continued a downward spiral, committing petty crimes and losing jobs. In 1968, he met Rose, which would set him on an even darker path.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Fred West displayed concerning and aggressive behavior towards women from a young age.
- Head injuries and a difficult childhood may have contributed to Fred's psychological issues and violent tendencies.
- Fred West was involved in the disappearance and murder of several young women, including his girlfriend Anna McFall.
- Fred showed a lack of remorse for his crimes and refused to provide closure to the families of his victims.
- Fred's relationship with his wife Rose set him on an even darker path, leading to more horrific crimes.
- The episode highlights the importance of investigating missing persons cases thoroughly, even when initial evidence is lacking.
- Trauma and abuse can have long-lasting impacts on individuals, potentially leading to a cycle of violence.
- Serial killers often exhibit patterns of escalating deviant behavior over time.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Fred was always chatting up the girls. But his manner was crude, and they considered him boorish and unpleasant.“ by Howard Sunes (author)
- “After the accident, though, he would respond very aggressively and he would start fights. It was a very noticeable change that people saw.“ by Elena (host)
- “They are not going to find them all, you know, never. And I believe his son.“ by Fred West (via his son)
- “I'll never tell anyone where she is.“ by Fred West
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Episode Information
Morbid
Morbid Network | Wondery
5/16/24
In this four part series, we dive into the horrific crimes of Fred & Rose West. We begin by exploring Fred's formative years which laid a foundation for his callousness and depraved appetites.
Thank you to the wondrous Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for Research!
References
Amis, Martin. 2000. When darkness met light. May 11. Accessed March 21, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2000/may/11/features11.g2.
BBC News. 1998. Fred West 'admitted killing waitress'. March 25. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/69928.stm.
—. 2001. How many more did Fred West kill? September 27. Accessed March 19, 2024. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1567038.stm.
—. 2021. The 12 victims of Fred and Rosemary West. May 27. Accessed March 18, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-57182844.
Bennett, Will. 1995. Step-daughter Charmaine was first to die. November 22. Accessed March 19, 2024. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/stepdaughter-charmaine-was-first-to-die-1583071.html.
Birmingham Evening Mail. 1974. "Missing girls theory." Birmingham Evening Mail, January 7: 1.
Birmingham Post. 1968. "Missing waitress mystery deepens." Birmingham Post, January 23: 2.
—. 1974. "Student missing for six days may return ton university-police." Birmingham Post, January 2: 2.
—. 1968. "Yard detectives join search for Gloucester girl." Birmingham Post, January 9: 1.
Campbell, Duncan. 1995. "How a string of girls came to die in depraved and appalling circumstances." The Guardian, October 7.
Duce, Richard. 1995. "West's suicide avenged killings, QC tells jurors." The Times, November 16.
Duce, Richard, and Bill Frost. 1995. "Court told of depravity at 25 Cromwell Street." The Times, October 7: 4.
Evening Post. 1968. "Helicopter joins hunt for Mary." Evening Post, January 8: 1.
Evening Standard. 1974. "Have you spotted this girl?" Evening Standard, July 4: 18.
Frost, Bill. 1995. "Cromwell Street murders case man is dead." The Times, Janaury 2.
Frost, Bill, and Richard Duce. 1995. "I'm being made a scapegoat, says West." The Times, November 2.
—. 1995. "No place for sentiment, West jurors are told." The Times, October 4.
—. 1995. "West: I fell under Fred's spell." The Times, October 31.
Gloucester Echo. 1994. "Did builder know Mary?" Gloucester Echo, March 8: 3.
—. 1994. "Graden bodies: Who were they?" Gloucester Echo, March 2: 1.
Gloucestershire Echo. 1995. "From angelic child to coldest of killers." Gloucestershire Echo 5.
—. 1995. "Fred West found dead." Gloucestershire Echo, January 2: 1.
—. 1995. "I'll see you in court, Rose." Gloucestershire Echo, January 4: 1.
Knight, Adam. 2014. Fred West's brother denies incest claims. November 7. Accessed March 17, 2024. https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/11587578.fred-wests-brother-denies-incest-claims/.
Lee, Adrian, Tim Jones, and Damian Whitworth. 1996. "Fred West's brother hangs himself." The Times, November 29.
Ovington, Paul. 1974. "Hunt steps up as fear grows for Lucy, 21." Western Daily Press and Times, January 4: 1.
Sounes, Howard. 1995. Fred & Rose: The Full Story of Fred and Rose West and the Gloucester House of Horrors. New York, NY: Open Road Media.
United Press International. 1995. "British jury convicts West of 10 murders." UPI Archive, November 22.
West, Mae, and Neil McKay. 2018. Love as Always, Mum: The True and Terrible Story of Surviving a Childhood with Fred and Rose West. London, UK: Seven Dials Press.
Williams, Martin. 1994. "'Our sister is still alive'." Gloucester Echo, February 26: 1.
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