True Crime With Caledonian Kitty

                                                     (Sid & Nancy. Picture credit: schonmagazine)

*Please be aware that I will be sharing some details in this post that may not be suitable for anyone under the age of 18 or who are sensitive to certain themes involving suicide, self harm, substance misuse. As always, I have tried to be as sensitive with the details whilst stating the facts* 

When it comes to the discussion of Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen, you'll often hear a mixture of opinions. different opinions about them and their lifestyle and different opinions on how each of them had met their end. Sometimes it's hard to believe that the two people in the picture above were barely 21 years old, they were just kids basically who let the fame, the money and the drugs, go to their head. 

My best friend is a huge Sex Pistols fan and has always adored John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten) and it is through her that I discovered their music years ago. She knows all about the tragic story of Sid Vicious (Simon John Ritchie) and how he was just a confused kid who grew up around drugs due to witnessing his mother's own habit and then being encouraged by her to take them. 

I went to a show of John Lydon's a few years ago and he spoke quite fondly of Sid and how much he missed him. He even encouraged the audience to sing (to the theme of ABBA's 'Fernando') ''There was something in the air that night, the stars were bright FOR SIDNEY. They were shining there for you and me, for liberty, FOR SIDNEY...'' It was a brilliant show and very funny. John spoke of how Nancy Spungen had been trying to make her way around the band members of the Sex Pistols and she started with him, he wasn't interested so she turned her attention to Sid after the other band members kept away from her also. 

Nancy's was from the USA but she went to England because it was her goal to have a member of the Sex Pistols as her boyfriend. Well, she got what she wanted but at what cost? Both Sid and Nancy were from difficult backgrounds and had all sorts of emotional problems themselves, mix that with drugs and you have a disaster on your hands. The real Simon John Ritchie was an insecure, shy boy who became Sid Vicious and it gave him confidence and fame but it all went to his head. I think, to be honest, you could say that about each of the members of the Sex Pistols, they all became a bit big for their boots at that time. People were scared to interview them because nobody knew what they were going to say or do next. They thought they were invincible and they did get away with quite a lot because people at the top were intimidated by them but the public loved them. 

The Sex Pistols were just a flash in the pan but it's incredible what they were able to achieve in such a short space of time. Their songs are classics and still sound great to this day. They are seen as punk royalty and as for John? behind the 'John Lydon' persona, he's a big teddy bear and a really intelligent and caring person. Like Sid, John has always felt the need to put on 'the act' so not a lot of people get to see the real him but I highly recommend that you visit one of his shows, preferably when he is doing a talk. I have a lot of respect for John and how he took care of his wife who sadly passed away earlier this year. He was devoted to his wife and worshiped the ground she walked on. At his show, he shed tears talking about her. He really does wear his heart on his sleeve. 

Anyway, back to what this post is all about, I am focusing on Sid and Nancy and their tragic short time together and what really happened? Well, as I mentioned before, Sid (Simon John Ritchie - born on the 10th of May 1957 in Lewisham, London) and Nancy (Nancy Laura Spungen - born on the 27th of February 1958) were both from difficult backgrounds and were not quite sure where they fit in. Nancy had been through a lot of depression as a child and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia at a young age. There had also been previous suicide attempts and various emotional outbursts. Nancy struggled with life and every day was a challenge but in music she found some sort of saviour, especially punk music that was all the rage in London in the mid 70s. 

London was the place to be in the 70s and early 80s with the punk movement and then the New Romantics. It was all about the music, unique fashion and being yourself. Everyone was encouraged to look as different as possible and it was like the ultimate rebellion against the establishment. Everybody wanted to be in London because that seemed to be where everything was happening. Nancy was obsessed and wanted to run away to London, she dyed her dark hair blonde, wore heavy eyeliner, red lipstick and created her own style. She took off for London in 1976 in search for her dream to come true, to find a sex pistol and somehow that was the answer to everything. When she got there she felt like she'd finally found the place and people where she finally belonged. 

It was the same for Sid Vicious, he'd been a huge David Bowie fan and was quite shy. His mother had bought him some drugs in his early teens (as a birthday present) and he was hooked but at that time the drug use wasn't as heavy as it became. He felt different to everyone else and struggled to fit in but when he started hanging around various clubs, hearing the punk music and being surrounded by struggling teenagers just like him, he felt he finally belonged. 

Sid (Simon) had changed his style and had a more edgier look, he had plans for his own music career and there was some interest from other bands for him to join them. He also became known for his crazy behaviour at various punk shows, always making some sort of scene. He had been noticed at a Sex Pistols show and as he had 'the right look', he was brought into the band in 1977 after Malcolm McLaren, their manager decided to fire Glen Matlock. 

Whilst in the Sex Pistols, Sid was pretty useless as a band member in all honesty. He couldn't play bass and failed to show up for rehearsal on more than one occasion as his drug and alcohol dependency continued to get worse. Malcolm McLaren insisted that he remain in the band because he loved the drama and chaos that he brought to the band. Malcolm's motto was 'Cash For Chaos' (it's even written on his gravestone at Highgate Cemetery in London). Sid would binge on alcohol and drugs and start fighting, spitting, throwing things and Malcolm loved that for the band's image. 

It wasn't long though until the mix of strong, rebellious personalities clashed and the band fell apart. Their journey and life as a band was a short one but they managed to make a huge impact and Malcolm McLaren pretty much got what he wanted because it was their image as well as the music that attracted the fans. 

So Nancy and Sid became a couple and both of them lived a very drug and alcohol fueled lifestyle. They'd hang out at various shows, go to friend's parties at squats (a squat is a term used for a vacant building that has been taken over by a certain number of people who choose to live in it despite having no proper permission. Squats were often lit by candles and sleeping bags or mattresses would be placed on the floor to sleep on). When Sid's career with the Sex Pistols had come to an end, the drugs and relationship with Nancy took over. The pair flew to New York and settled in the famous Chelsea Hotel in 1978 in Room 100. The Chelsea Hotel was known for it's history of being home to some of the world's most famous artists, musicians and writers. However by 1978 it had fallen on hard times and most of it was run down with many of it's residents taking drugs. 

Nancy and Sid turned their room into an absolute mess and lived on alcohol, drugs and takeaway food. It was a miserable existence. Nancy was now acting as his manger and when they had the strength, Sid would play the odd gig as a solo artist or they would do interviews and photoshoots. Most of the time they would spend in that room, various people would also come and go, including various drug dealers. Sid would be so out of it at times that when people would visit they would later say that he was totally out of it and didn't even realise that they were there. Sometimes there would be money and drugs lying around the room, things were getting worse and it was only a matter of time before something had to give and unfortunately it ended up with Nancy being found dead in the bathroom on the 12th of October, 1978, slumped between the toilet and the sink. Nancy was just 20 years old. She had been fatally stabbed and all the fingers were pointing at Sid as the one who was responsible. 

Witnesses who had been in the room just hours before had claimed that Sid had been really out of it and in no fit state to have stabbed anyone. The knife that had been used did belong to Sid and had been purchased by Nancy as a gift for him just weeks earlier (they both had an obsession with knives). With no witnesses to say otherwise, Sid was arrested for Nancy's murder despite the fact that various people (including drug dealers) were known to come in and out of their room, sometimes stealing money and their belongings. There was rumours that they owed money to a certain drug dealer and that it was all a set up to frame Sid. Some people believe it was a robbery gone wrong with someone getting into the room to steal money and Nancy trying to defend herself whilst Sid was passed out from drugs. A lot of people believe that Sid was unfairly framed for Nancy's murder and that the cops didn't take it seriously because the pair were well-known drug users. 

At first, in a daze and in shock, Sid blamed himself and said he had killed Nancy but he soon changed his statement. Seeing the footage of Sid being taken out of the Chelsea Hotel in handcuffs, you can clearly see the bolt of reality that hit him. He was in a state of shock and disbelief, sometimes on heroin people can believe that they are invincible and living in a dream world. This was cold, harsh reality and he was facing a long jail term which his mother knew he wouldn't be able to cope with. Sid could be brash, put an act on and act the big man when he was high, but in all reality he was just a scared young boy who was in way over his head and some people did take advantage of him. 

Whilst Sid was in custody, various people were trying to raise the funds to get him out on bail. He was released on the 17th of Oct. Whilst in custody he was detoxing and was taking methadone. Just days after his release he attempted to take his own life by cutting his wrist and overdosing on methadone. His mother and Malcolm McLaren were present and able to get help. Sid wasn't happy with this as he claimed that he wanted to die to be with Nancy and it had all been part of his side of a suicide pact. 

There's all sorts of stories about Sid's time in New York after Nancy's murder and people who claim to have spoken to him. Apparently there is a recording on tape of him confessing to accidentally killing Nancy. He reportedly said that he and Nancy had been playing around with a knife when she got caught in the stomach. It looked to be a small cut and they didn't think anything of it because they were so out of it. He apparently left the room at some point and came back to find that Nancy had bled to death. 

The shock of Nancy's death didn't seem to sober Sid up because he was still going out and causing trouble, getting drunk and getting high. He'd even started a relationship with a woman named Michelle Robinson. This wasn't a good look for him so quickly after Nancy's death. It was no surprise when he was arrested again and sent right back to jail. His whole attitude and behaviour came across as uncaring and arrogant but away from the cameras, Nancy's mother claimed to have received a letter from Sid declaring his undying love for Nancy and that he missed and loved her. 

He reportedly wrote: ''Her pain was just too much to bear because, you see, I felt Nancy's pain as if it were my own, worse even....I love her with such passion. Every day is agony without her. I know now it is possible to die from a broken heart. Because when you love someone as much as we love each other. They become fundamental to your existence. So I will die soon even if I don't kill myself. I guess you could say that I'm pining for her. I could live without food or water longer than I'm going to survive without Nancy....she was too beautiful for this world.''

Sid spent seven weeks in jail and was forced to undergo a detox program. When he was released his mother came to collect him and arranged a bag of heroin for him. Various versions of events have been shared over the years but what actually happened was that his mother knew how much he suffered in prison. Apparently Sid had been bullied and beaten, he knew that there was a huge possibility that he was going to end up in prison for the rest of his life for Nancy's murder and he could not cope with that. His mother believed that she did the right thing by saving her son from the misery of a lifetime behind bars. Apparently when he was passed out high on heroin she injected some more into one of his veins. Sid was declared dead of a heroin overdose on the 2nd of February 1979, he was aged just 21. 

Sid was cremated and his mother secretly took his ashes to Nancy's grave site at King David Memorial Park in Pennsylvania where she scattered them on Nancy's grave. Some people thought this was in poor taste and others thought that it was fitting that they were together again. 

Due to the death of Sid, who was due to go on trial for Nancy's murder, the case was closed. 

Various other people have been suspected of killing Nancy over the years but all have denied it and some have even passed away. An actor and stand-up comic by the name of Rockets Redglare fell under suspicion as he reportedly delivered drugs to Nancy and Sid's hotel room on a number of occasions, including that night but he denied it right up until his death in 2001. 

With so many unsavory characters coming in and out of that room at all hours of the day and night and no security cameras in the lobby back then, there's no way of ever finding out who else (if anyone) was really there that night. Decades have gone by since Nancy died and the chances are that anyone who did visit that room are no longer with us and take any secrets they may have, to the grave. It could just be that Sid and Nancy were high on drugs and played around too rough with the knife and an accident happened. Sid passed out on the bed and Nancy crawled to the bathroom. Her injury was a cut to the abdomen and maybe she went to the bathroom (still out of it on drugs) to try and sort herself out with some towels or something and just slumped down. If Sid was guilty it's clear to see that it wasn't an intentional killing, it was a tragic and stupid mistake that should never have happened but the way that they both lived, it was only a matter of time before something happened. 

The thing about Sid and Nancy and old school stars like them is that back then, musicians were more for real. They actually lived that life and a lot of them didn't make it. Some were lucky and thankfully are still with us today. But there was nothing glamorous about it and I think that sometimes some people forget that, especially younger people or up and coming artists who fancy being a chip off the old block. It's not games and it's not fun. Sid was famous for being violent, a drug user who was all the worst things that you could imagine a famous person to be. Could you imagine asking him for a selfie or an autograph? You wouldn't know if you were going to get a punch or a spit on the face. Deep down he was just a kid caught up in everything but he got lost in the character of Sid Vicious and felt that he had to constantly make a show wherever he went. 

In the end Sid and Nancy as glamourised as we like to paint them now, ended up living in a run-down hotel room with drug dealers as pals and died in horrible circumstances before either of them reached the age of 22. It's heartbreaking and really shows the downward spiral of drugs and how important it is to keep your feet on the ground where fame is concerned. Adding heroin into everything just further fueled Sid's feelings of being invincible and that's why I mention that true moment when he was led outside of the hotel in handcuffs, reality set in and you could see that deep down he was just a frightened kid but soon had to switch the act back on for the cameras. 

Some people can become famous to the point that they get lost in their own reality and you pair drugs and huge ego into the mix and you have an absolute bonfire. 

What do I think of Sid and Nancy? well. Nancy was troubled and looking for something and she thought she had found it in Sid. He thought he had found his soulmate in her. There's no doubt that they loved each other but there was also a toxic element to their relationship. Things could get violent and Nancy was very jealous of other girls approaching Sid, she would order Sid to punch girls in the face as an act of proving his love and devotion to her. Sid was known to punch Nancy as vice versa. Two troubled young people lost in life, coming together and it was a disaster, it was never going to end well. Malcolm McLaren (who has since passed away himself) was part of the problem, he saw Sid as the poster boy for the band that he wanted to create and encouraged the violence. The other band members themselves have been accused of using Sid as a sort of attraction for the band's rough image. 

Do I think that Sid killed Nancy? it's a really difficult question to answer because they were both in the room at the same time, the knife that belonged to Sid had been used and the story he had reportedly told a friend about them playing around with the knife and him passing out, sounded plausible. On the other hand, everyone knew they had that room and that money was in there. People were always coming back and forth and drug dealers were always around. It would have been interesting to see this case being explored in a courtroom, maybe we could have found answers from that? I guess after so many years we may never know. 

Since Nancy's death the Chelsea Hotel has undergone so many transformations and the room (Room 100) no longer exists. A lot of people are still fascinated with this case today and some people believe the case should be re-opened and re-investigated but I don't know if that would bring any answers. I don't think the police kept any of the evidence for proper DNA testing and there is no way, obviously that they can go back over the room where Nancy died. 

RIP Nancy & Sid. 

Further Reading & Sources:

- Sid Vicious | Sex Pistols Website

- Sid Vicious: Article | The Independent

- Nancy Spungen: Article | Rolling Stone

- Sid Vicious: Article | The Guardian

- Sid Vicious: Article | History Channel

- Sid Vicious: Article | Metro

- Sid Vicious | Wikipedia

- Nancy Spungen: Article | Daily Mail

- Nancy Spungen: Article | Far Out Magazine

- Nancy Spungen: Article | NY Mag

- Nancy Spungen | Wikipedia

- Sex Pistols | Wikipedia

- Malcolm McLaren | Wikipedia

- Malcolm McLaren: Article | New York Times

- Hotel Chelsea | Official Website

- Hotel Chelsea | Wikipedia

- Sid Vicious: The Final 24 | Documentary

- And I Don't Want To Live This Life: A Mother's Story of Her Daughter's Murder | Book by Deborah Spungen

- Sid Vicious: No One is Innocent | Book by Alan Parker 

Have you ever seen the Sid & Nancy movie? You can find it here on YouTube 

I'll be taking a little break this coming week because it's my birthday on November 5th but I will be back soon with more true crime content. 

I hope you will join me in the next post, take care until next time... 

 (Brittany Murphy. Picture credit: rollingstone)

Brittany also had two older half-brothers and a younger half-sister. Brittany had been showing signs of her talent of acting and singing from a young age and as she reached her teens, the decision was made for her and her mother to move to Los Angeles. Brittany often spoke of how important and instrumental her mother had been to her career. She would talk in interviews about how her mother sold everything they had so that her dreams of making it as a star would come true. Brittany was always grateful to her mother and appreciated the fact that her mother had believed in her from day one. 

Fast forward to success, she had a stint on Broadway and various appearances in popular TV shows but it was her role in the iconic movie, Clueless (1995) that really put her on the map. Various star turns in movies alongside legends such as Michael Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland followed and also, my favourite role of hers was in the classic, Girl, interrupted. Brittany even appeared alongside the rapper, Eminem in the movie '8 Mile'. She also did voiceovers for TV and film. Time and time again she was demonstrating that she wasn't just a comedy actress, she could pretty much play any role that was handed to her and she did it brilliantly. 

I remember hearing her singing for the first time and I couldn't believe it, she had an incredible voice (you can hear it here on this awesome track: Faster Kill Pussycat) 

She had various romances but the relationship that made the most headlines at that time was her romance with Ashton Kutcher. They both met on the set of a movie and the chemistry between the pair was plain for all to see. Even the Director knew they would end up together. Sadly the relationship fizzled out but they remained very close friends right up until Brittany's untimely death. 

In 2006, Brittany bumped into a man named Simon Monjack, they'd met briefly during a photoshoot when she was a teenager. He had the unfortunate nickname around Hollywood as 'Conjack' because he was known as the man who had managed to con his way into Hollywood. His professional role was of a screenwriter and Director but his career wasn't going quite as he planned. He had a bit of a reputation and drama and rumours seemed to follow him in life (as it clearly has done, in death). He came across as a bit of an oddball and once claimed of his first meeting with the teenage Brittany as one that had made such an impact on him (he was older than Brittany, having been born in Uxbridge, England in 1970), that he watched her grow up from afar and waited for the right time to be with her. 

Some would say that is romantic, some would say creepy but nonetheless he managed to charm Brittany and the pair ended up getting married in a private Jewish ceremony in 2007. Things between them moved pretty fast from meeting again in 2006 to marriage in 2007 and then the heartbreaking death of Brittany in 2009 with his death soon to follow just months later. 

It's unclear just how much Brittany actually knew about her husband but his background of fraud, deception, so-called abandoned children, abusive and controlling relationship history, financial difficulties, false claims of credentials etc....they didn't call him 'The Man Who Conned His Way Into Hollywood' for nothing. He was obviously quite good at pulling the wool over people's eyes, after all he ended up in Hollywood married to one of the most talented and beautiful actresses of recent times. 

As time went on people close to Brittany had begun to notice that she became more and more withdrawn and the sparkle in her eyes seemed to be disappearing. People became concerned about her weight because every time they did see her she seemed to be getting thinner and thinner. Simon seemed to always be beside her and it was rare to see the two of them apart. He played the part of the adoring husband but people began to see more of a strange fixation, almost obsessive and controlling situation going on. 

Some people believed that Simon saw Brittany as his meal ticket and a way to get himself into the spotlight. Things got more sinister when Simon encouraged Brittany to fire her assistant and other members of staff which also included her make-up artist, he insisted that he would do a better job of managing her career as well as taking over as make-up artist. So he began deciding how she was going to have her hair, make-up and clothing. 

His behaviour towards Brittany was becoming more and more controlling and Brittany seemed to be caught up in what was obviously a very toxic relationship. Having worked so hard for years on her career and known in the industry as a professional as well as a well respected actress, Simon saw to it that piece by piece he would destroy what she had built. He made all of the decisions and it seemed to others who had witnessed his behaviour towards Brittany, that there was some resentment there that she was the star and he was always in her shadow. 

She was excited about working on a new movie and had prepared herself as she had always done since a teenager on the set. However, Simon appeared and made a fool of himself as he was heavily intoxicated. The whole spectacle resulted in Brittany being fired from the movie and she was devastated but couldn't confront Simon about his behaviour for whatever reason. 

Women who had been in relationships with Simon in the past described him as a 'control freak' and 'disturbing individual'. There seemed to be no end to the drama and troubles that this man had created for himself and other people in the past and now he was creating problems for Brittany. 

Everyone at the time was really concerned for Brittany and  their worst fears were realised when the news came through that Brittany had been pronounced dead, just days before Christmas (20th of December 2009) after being rushed to the famous Cedars-Sinai Hospital. Apparently she had been found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of the house she had been living in with Simon and her mother. There was utter shock around Hollywood but some people were not surprised because there had been some concerns for a while about Simon's behaviour towards Brittany and her weight continuing to plummet which was also said to have been a result of Simon's constant pressure. 

Brittany's cause of death was determined to be caused by a combination of pneumonia, various prescription drugs (some of which were registered to Simon), various flu medications and anemia. Her iron levels were so low that it was suspected that it could have been a contributing factor to her immune system being low. She was also underweight. Brittany had been ill with the flu a few weeks and for some reason was not able to seek medical attention, she was not taken to the Doctor or a hospital, if she had been she would have been given the proper medication and had her iron levels checked and put on a proper diet. She would be alive today without a doubt. Her death was determined to be accidental but preventable. 

It makes me angry personally because it was clear that Brittany was under Simon's control and seemed to follow everything he said from what she ate, what jobs she took on and even how she was to have her hair. He was a control freak with everything else and cut her off from proper support so is it any surprise that you would be led to believe that he was in control over what was going to happen with her health? Any decent husband would have called a Doctor straight away or took her to the hospital weeks before, why didn't he? 

Simon Monjack didn't murder Brittany but there was serious neglect there and he did not get her the proper medical attention that she needed. The other terrifying factor in all of this is that Brittany's own mother was present the whole time and even she was under Simon's spell. Simon had been able to con Brittany and her mother as well as countless others over the years. Even after Brittany's death was announced, her mother and Simon clung together for support and his comments about his wife's death was bizarre to say the least. For example, he didn't want Brittany to have an autopsy in the beginning but after eyebrows were raised he had no choice and said ''This pristine body, curvy in all the right places with skin like silk...how could I say 'cut it up', in front of her mother?''

When Brittany's friends found out about her death and saw the continuing strange behaviour of Simon Monjack, not to mention the way he had managed to manipulate Brittany's mother too, they were shocked. They claimed that they had done everything they could to (in their words) ''Stop Brittany from marrying that bottom-feeding psychopath''.

Brittany was anti-drugs and was almost paranoid when it came to taking anything such as painkillers or too much caffeine. She was always focused on her health and career and was careful not to get addicted to anything but she did have a naivety abut her and reportedly hung on every word that Simon would say. He could be charismatic at times and there would be times he would talk about things with such confidence that he was able to get around people and convince them. With the difficulties that Brittany had in the relationship with her own father who had been absent for a lot of her childhood, she was probably looking for a father-figure and in many ways, Simon may have made her feel that she was safe no matter what the real story of his actions were. 

Brittany's mother was also a victim of Simon's manipulation and control, she loved her daughter and thought she was doing the best for her but it is puzzling as to why she felt that she couldn't be strong enough to challenge Simon. Maybe she saw how Simon had persuaded Brittany to cut off her friends and associates and was scared that she would be next if she pushed too far? 

Her mother claimed that Brittany's last words to her were ''Mom, I'm dying, I love you.''. Apparently Brittany had said this to her mother when the pair were in the bathroom together. The house that all three had been staying in had previously been owned by Britney Spears and it was a beautiful house but friends claimed that the couple often had the windows closed and there would be clutter everywhere. The environment in the house itself was said to have been unhealthy with items being left all over and reports of mould. 

Now, just when you thought you were already disturbed by what you have been reading so far, wait until I tell you this. I was hoping this was just a rumour but it turned out that after Brittany's death, Simon and Brittany's mother grew a bit too close for comfort and had a relationship. The pair would sleep in the same bed together in the same house where Brittany had passed away. At this point even I don't know what to make of her mother either? Let's address another elephant in the room, they were living in Brittany's house and Brittany was keeping them both comfortable financially and it's heartbreaking to state this but it is a fact. There's no doubt Brittany's mother loved her but she was in a lot of ways a typical 'stage mom'. 

Anybody else in their right mind (and this is my opinion) would see their daughter losing tons of weight, having health issues, a shadow of her former self, friends being cut off, unhealthy living situation and they'd step in and take her away from a man like Simon. To hell with the fame and money, what is more important? And then to hook up with the guy after your daughter's death? I cannot get my head around that, can you?

Well, nobody was buying Simon's story and a lot of people were looking at both him and Brittany's mother with raised eyebrows. Nobody believed it was just a simple tragedy. There was definite neglect, control and abuse going on there and it looked like her mother was more concerned about losing the financial stability Brittany had given her especially as Simon had such a hold on her. 

Another shocking twist to this awful story is that Simon Monjack himself was found dead under similar circumstances. This further set the conspiracy theory mill into more chaos. He died just months later at the age of 40 and his autopsy revealed that he also died of anemia and pneumonia with similar prescription drugs in his system. All three individuals, Simon, Brittany and her mother had all suffered from the flu in those months and were using similar medications but because of Brittany's already fragile state physically and Simon's health issues, they were not strong enough to cope with it. Rumours went around (and still continue to this day) that the couple were poisoned, murdered, made some sort of strange pact. Whatever the truth, I still believe that Simon with the help of Brittany's mother (who I have said was also a victim of Simon's manipulation so I don't believe it was intentional on her part) was a huge contributing factor in Brittany's death. Piece by piece that man had broken that beautiful woman down to the point where she wasn't strong enough to fight off a common cold and isolated her from support and denied her proper medical attention. Just a five minute phonecall to a Doctor just weeks before would have prevented it all. 

When his death was announced, people were shocked but there wasn't an outpouring of grief. Some people continued to believe that there was more to the story. Instead of the beautiful memories and tributes that Brittany had received and her continuing support for homeless charities being talked about, Simon had more dirty laundry exposed. It was bad enough all of the stuff that was already out there about him and what he had done when he was alive, but now more victims came forward and it turned out more abandoned children of his were revealed as well as survivors of his narcissistic abuse. One of his previous victims said: ''I'm a survivor of Simon Monjack and I believe that Brittany did not survive him. He was letting me be sick like that when I was pregnant with our child until my friend walked in''.

More financial drama was revealed too because he was paying off thousands of dollars to different people, had debts as long as his arm and was in all kinds of financial trouble. It's unclear where all of this money that he was using was coming from?

Brittany's mother was left the bulk of her estate so maybe that is part of the reason Simon was trying to cosy up to her when Brittany died? Another interesting fact is that Brittany left Simon out of her will, reportedly stating ''I am married to Simon Monjack, who I have intentionally left out of this will'' So Brittany made sure that Simon would not get a penny from her if she was to pass away. Was she planning on eventually leaving him and he knew it? Did he see the opportunity of her illness as a way of getting his hands on her money either by her or by manipulating her mother? With Simon Monjack, you always had to read between the lines, this guy did not do anything out of the goodness of his own heart, there was always a hidden agenda. 

I've written about various cases over the years on this blog where people have met their end by being struck by a weapon, shot or physically assaulted but there are ways to kill someone slowly, psychologically by denying them their basic needs as a form of control. Simon had a history of abusing and controlling women. His abuse of Brittany started with preying on her insecurities and controlling her career, what decent man tells a woman how to dress, wear make-up and have their hair? What decent man turns up to their partner's place of work, drunk and making a fool of himself? His previous victims had been able to escape him but he must have thought he struck gold when he set his sights on Brittany.

The death of Brittany Murphy will forever haunt me and there will never be a time where I don't see her fantastic performances on screen and not think ''What if?''. She was brilliant at everything and great with her fans, most importantly, she never forgot where she came from. We really did lose a wonderful human being and for what? 

RIP Brittany, you may have physically left us in 2009 but here we are in 2023, still enjoying your amazing performances, listening to your music and sharing your story. You remain forever an icon. I hope that you are somewhere up there ''Rollin with the homies'' 

Brittany's final resting place is at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills. Simon Monjack was buried next to her. 

What are your thoughts on what happened to Brittany? Let me know in the comments below, by email: jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com or on my social media platforms

Further Reading & Sources:

- Brittany Murphy: Article | Rolling Stone

- Brittany Murphy: Article | Vanity Fair

- Brittany Murphy: Article | People

- Brittany Murphy: Article | E Online

- Brittany Murphy | Wikipedia

- Brittany Murphy: Movies | imdb

- Brittany Murphy: Article | Mirror

- Brittany Murphy: Article | ABC News

- Simon Monjack | Wikipedia

- Simon Monjack, Brittany Murphy: Article | USA Today

- Simon Monjack: Article | The Sun

- Brittany Murphy: Article | LA Times

- Brittany Murphy (Documentary) | Our History

- Brittany Murphy (Documentary Clip) | Inside Edition

- Brittany Murphy (Documentary clip) | HBO Max

- Brittany Murphy: Article | Hollywood Reporter

- Sharon Murphy: Article | Heavy

- Brittany Murphy: Article | E Online

- Brittany Murphy: Article | Rolling Stone

Thank you for taking the time to read my latest post and I hope that you will join me next Sunday. I always post on Sunday evenings so get your cookies and cups of tea ready - remember, self care is very important!

Take care until next time x 

*Please be aware that shocking details are shared in this post. I have tried to be as sensitive as possible without shying away from the facts of the cases included. The contents of this blog are not suitable for anyone under the age of 18*

In this post I have decided to include three Serial Killers who you may not have heard of before. In my Serial Killers of The 70s, 80s and 90s Series, I have tried to include Serial Killers who you will be familiar with as well as unfamiliar with. In this final post in this series I have decided to briefly focus on three very dangerous and frightening men, all three are American but their murderous paths were each unique and no less disturbing, enough to give you nightmares. 

Before I delve in to these three cases, I just want to say that I hope you have enjoyed this series and managed to catch up with the posts below: 

- The Dating Game Killer: Rodney Alcala

- He Murdered Over 90 Women: Samuel Little

- The Killer Clown: John Wayne Gacy: Did He Have Help?

- 400 Victims? The Monster of The Andes: Pedro Lopez

- The Many Faces Of Ted Bundy

- The Butcher Of Rostov: Andrei Chikatilo

- BTK: Bind, Torture, Kill: Dennis Rader

- The Evil Child Killer: Robert Black

- The Grim Sleeper: Lonnie Franklin Jr

- Finally Caught! The Green River Killer: Gary Ridgway

- The Shocking Crimes Of Alfred Gaynor

- The Cul-De-Sac-Killer: Stephen Akinmurele 

So, moving on to the three cases in this post, please be aware that I will be sharing some disturbing details. 

Scott William Cox (also known as Seth Scott Cutter): 

As is usually the case, his life of petty crime soon turned deadly and he was convicted of two murders. Scott frequently used the services of sex workers and had been violent to the women on several occasions. A lot of the incidences went unreported but one of the women was beaten so badly by Scott that she almost died. The lady went through a horrendous ordeal of being sexually assaulted, beaten, strangled and had an object forced into her rectum before being thrown out of his truck. A witness saw the victim being thrown from the truck and was able to give the police a description of the vehicle. Fortunately and by some miracle, the lady was able to survive the horrific ordeal and gave what information she could to investigators. 

Scott soon found the cops on his tail and he was brought in for questioning, He was not only suspected of this horrible crime but also of the unsolved murders of two women. He pleaded innocence but the evidence against him was overwhelming. He ended up confessing to the murders of two women by the names of Rheena Ann Brunson and Victoria Rhone. Both women had been sex workers who had been sexually assaulted, beaten and left for dead by Scott in the same style as many of his other victims. He claimed to have been only responsible for these two murders but nobody else. Investigators believe that Scott is a Serial Killer and could be responsible for up to 20 other murders which currently remain unsolved. Being a long distance lorry driver at the time of the crimes through the 1980s and 1990s, Scott was able to be in various locations throughout the United States and would regularly use the services of sex workers in those locations. As I mentioned before, a lot of women who had survived his assaults refused to go to the police fearing that they would end up in trouble themselves because of their line of work or that they would not be believed. 

Now, due to the confessions to the two murders and being highly suspected as being a dangerous Serial Killer who was clearly a danger to women, you would think that they would have locked him up and threw away the key. What happened was a bit of a mess because when he gave these confessions it was reportedly under duress so the confessions were thrown out of court but he was convicted on DNA evidence. 

Scott ended up serving 20 years of a 25 year sentence and was released in 2013 with certain conditions. He was fitted with a GPS tag on his ankle which is basically a tracking device that informs the police of his whereabouts at any given time. He is not allowed to visit certain public places and he is subject to a curfew. In the UK we call this 'out on licence'. If Scott is found to be violating his conditions, no matter how small, he will be sent straight back to prison. 

As of 2023, investigations into the possible victims connected to Scott William Cox is still ongoing but as of this moment, he is out there and that is a scary thought. 

RIP to Rheena Ann Brunson, Victoria Rhone and to the numerous suspected victims who have yet to be identified. Thoughts also to the countless women who survived Scott William Cox's evil assaults and I hope that they were able to somehow move on with their lives despite such a horrific ordeal. 

Cleophus Prince Jr:

Cleophus Prince Jr is an American Serial Killer who is also known as The Clairemont Killer. He is currently serving his sentence on death row at the infamous San Quentin State Prison for the murders of six women but he is also suspected of more murders. Cleophus was sentenced to death in 1993 and is still on death row in 2023 due to endless appeals. Cleophus was born on the 24th of July, 1967 in Birmingham, Alabama. His methods of murder were horrific, each of the victims had been robbed, subjected to a terrifying sexual assault and stabbed to death. The known murders were said to have all taken place in 1990 in San Diego County, California in what was a sickening murder spree which spanned months. 

Cleophus had severed some time in the US Navy before the murders but was discharged due to theft and misconduct. All of Cleophus's victims were young females who he spied on and broke into their homes and apartments. He would attack the women and subject them to a sickening sexual assault before stabbing them to death with knives he had found in their kitchens. 

He was finally brought to justice when he was arrested for an attempted theft and information had gotten through to investigators that he had been heard previously bragging about the murders and seen wearing victim's jewelry as well as giving stolen items from various crime scenes to girlfriends as gifts. DNA he had given previously on another theft arrest provided investigators with enough evidence to connect him to the murders. On the day of his arrest in 1991, investigators tricked him into attending the police headquarters to complete some bail paperwork, once he arrived he was taken into custody. 

At his trial in 1992 he was found guilty of first degree murder for the deaths of the six women and 21 other felony charges. He was sentenced to death in 1993 and continued to appeal his sentence to which these appeals were thrown out. He is still currently on death row as of October 2023. 

RIP to the known victims of Cleophus Prince Jr:

Tiffany Schultz, Janene Weinhold, Holly Tarr, Elissa Keller, Pamela Clark, Amber Clark (who were also mother and daughter). RIP also to the possible unknown victims that have never been identified. 

Ronald Dominique: 

Ronald Dominique, also known as 'The Bayou Strangler' was responsible for the horrendous murders of 23 men and boys, aged between 16 and 46 in the 1990s through to 2006. The victims were sexually assaulted and murdered. Ronald confessed to all 23 murders saying that he murdered his victims because he did not want to go to prison, he was scared that his victims would report him to the police. All of the disturbing murders took place in Louisiana. 

Born in Thibodaux, Louisiana on the 9th of January 1964, Ronald grew up in hardship with his hardworking parents struggling to make ends meet. They both had laboring jobs which provided very little money. Ronald was the youngest of two children and the family lived in a trailer park and did what they could to get by. School life was tough for Ronald and he struggled to fit in and was very self conscious about his weight. He had dreams of what he wanted to do with his life and had focused on doing something in the computer science field. Despite the dedication to his studies and graduating school, he attended university but quickly dropped out. He was known to suffer bouts of depression and was confused about his sexuality. 

When he finally came to accepting his sexuality he began to frequent LGBTQIA+ bars and clubs in the hopes of meeting someone. Ronald suffered homophobia and bullying because narrow minded people would see him out and about near to certain establishments or on dates with other men and he would be the target for abuse. The constant taunting led Ronald to deny that he was gay and his depression at not being able to fully be himself deepened. Things soon went from bad to worse when he was arrested for sexually harassing various men on the telephone, leaving obscene phone calls. 

He tried to get some form of employment but could only seem to land low paid jobs which he couldn't seem to keep hold of. He ended up having to borrow money constantly from relatives and lived with his mother because he couldn't afford a place of his own. Circumstances continued to be dire and he turned to alcohol which resulted in another arrest for driving under the influence. 

As I've previously mentioned in the two earlier cases, the petty crimes soon moved into something more sinister and horrific. Ronald had been accused of sexually assaulting and beating a young man in August of 1996 at his sister's house. He was arrested over the incident and the case went as far as court but was thrown out after the young man failed to appear, so he basically got away with that incident. 

He came to the attention of police again in 2002 after he punched a woman in a parking lot during an argument over her driving. Despite this being a disturbing incident and another red flag, nothing further came of it as the pair were said to have apologized to each other and didn't wish to take the matter further. 

Ronald tried to fit in with the local LGBTQIA+ community and was always hanging around the bars and nightclubs, often dressed in drag. He was a huge fan of the legendary Patti LaBelle and his outfits and makeup were said to be a tribute to her but no matter how hard he tried he just couldn't gel with anyone. Maybe people could sense there was something not quite right about him? or maybe it was the aura that he gave off or his reputation for being short fused? Whatever the case, he didn't feel that he was getting the acceptance that he felt he deserved. 

Despite not being that popular he was still able to meet various men for encounters. This soon turned sour, he would set up situations where he would arrange to meet young boys and men, trick them back to his trailer (where he was now living) and subject the poor victims to a horrendous rape before murdering them by strangulation or suffocation. His reported final victim was said to have been murdered after being violently struck over the head with a blunt object. After murdering his victims he would dispose of their bodies. Most of his victims were African American and not all of them were gay, his victim's ages ranged from 16 to 46. 

Ronald's sickening crimes were soon to be put to an end when he was arrested in November of 2006. A young man contacted the police and reported that Ronald had tried to force himself on him in his trailer after luring him there with the promise of drugs. Ronald was taken in for questioning and DNA samples were taken from him before he was released. 

Forensics soon matched Ronald's DNA with traces of semen and other bodily fluids that had been left on/in the victims and at the crime scenes and he was promptly arrested again. Ronald wasn't shocked when the police arrived at the homeless shelter he had been staying at, he told them that he knew after the DNA had been taken from him that it would only be a matter of time before he was arrested. 

RIP to the known victims of Ronald Dominique:

David Mitchell, Gary Pierre, Larry Ranson, Oliver LeBanks, Joseph Brown, Bruce Williams, Manuel Reed, Angel Mejia, Mitchell Johnson, Michael Vincent, Kenneth Randolph Jr, Anoka Jones, Datrell Woods, Larry Matthews, Michael Bamett, Leon Lirette, August Watkins, Kurt Cunningham, Alonzo Hogan, Wayne Smith, Chris DeVille, Nicholas Pellegrin, Christopher Sutterfield. Thoughts also to the young man who escaped in the first known incident at the hands of this dangerous individual and to any other possible survivors. As I mentioned before in the previous cases, I can only hope that these brave people were able to move on in some way with their lives after what they had been through. 

Further Reading & Sources: 

- The Bayou Killer: Life of Serial Killer Ronald J Dominique | Book by Jack Smith

- Ronald Dominique: Article | Mirror

- Ronald Dominique | Crime Library

- Ronald Dominique | Wikipedia

- Ronald Dominique | Murderpedia

- Drag Queen Turned Serial Killer | Documentary | A&E

- Cleophus Prince Jr | Wikipedia

- Cleophus Prince Jr | Murderpedia

- The Clairemont Killer | Book by C.L Swinney

- People v. Prince | Court Documents | Find Law

- Cleophus Prince Jr: Article | LA Times

- Cleophus Prince Jr | Documentary | Born to Kill

- Scott William Cox | Wikipedia

- Scott William Cox | Yamhill County

- Scott William Cox: Article | Oregon Live

- Scott William cox | Ranker

- People v. Scott | Court Documents

I hope you found this post and this series on Serial Killers of The 70s, 80s & 90s to have been an interesting (but obviously disturbing) read. I hope you found this post as well as the previous ones, to be informative. I really appreciate all of the feedback, comments and thoughts about each of the cases that I have covered over the past few months and I appreciate each and every one of my readers. 

I hope you will join me again next Sunday and beyond for more weekly true crime content. 

Take care and I hope to see you in my next post as well as on my socials x