The 30th anniversary of the murders of Lin and Megan Russell is the focus of a new episode of the "On The Case" podcast, which delves into the enduring questions surrounding the crime and the potential involvement of serial killer Levi Bellfield.
Lin Russell, 45, and her six-year-old daughter Megan were killed with a hammer in Chillenden, Kent, in 1996. Megan's nine-year-old sister, Josie, survived the attack.
Michael Stone was convicted of the murders a year later, based on a BBC "Crimewatch" reconstruction. He has maintained his innocence and is currently serving a life sentence. His case is under review by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which could refer it to the Court of Appeal if his potential exoneration is deemed plausible.
Reporter Matt Young, in an exclusive interview with Barbara Stone, Lin Russell's sister, shared that Stone has always denied involvement and implicated serial killer Levi Bellfield. Bellfield, who is serving multiple life sentences for other murders, reportedly confessed to the Chillenden killings in a written statement to his solicitor, Paul Bacon, in 2022. However, Bellfield later withdrew the confession, and the CCRC has dismissed his testimony as not credible.
Young, speaking on "The Crime Desk's On The Case" podcast hosted by Alex Matthews, stated that Stone's legal team believes Bellfield was involved. "Paul Bacon, who's a long time solicitor of Stones – he spent a long time talking to Bellfield in prison, over a period of a year or so," Young said. "Lots and lots of meetings with him face to face in jail… it was a long process and he's a reliable, experienced solicitor who believes it's Bellfield."
Young also investigated the crime scene and spoke with Chillenden residents. He reported that locals he interviewed, including those present during the original investigation, found it difficult to believe Michael Stone was responsible for the murders. "Every resident we spoke to, including people who were there at the time, who spoke to police during their investigation, all the neighbours – every single one of them just finds it impossible to believe it was Michael Stone," Young said.
The podcast episode, titled "Hammer Horror," explores these accounts and features excerpts from Young's interview with Barbara Stone. It is available on podcast platforms.
