True Crime With Caledonian Kitty

They Were Branded Baby Kill*rs!! | Police Corruption, Hunger Strikes, Prison Break-Outs & Drug Wars! They Spent 20 Years Trying To Prove Their Innocence: The Unbelievable & Tragic Story of TC Campbell & Joe Steele

(Thomas 'TC' Campbell & Joe Steele. Picture credit: Glasgow World)

*Please be aware that some of the details in this post will be disturbing. I have, as always, aimed to be as sensitive as I can be without taking away from the facts of the case. If you would like to discuss this post, or any of the cases I have covered in this blog, please email me at jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com*

In my last couple of posts, I wrote about the horrific and brutal murder of schoolgirl Jodi Jones back in 2003, and the shocking way in which the police had botched the investigation. I talked about the blatant cover-ups involved in the case and the mistreatment and media bullying of Jodi's 14 year old boyfriend Luke, who ended up being thrown in prison, accused of her murder despite lack of DNA evidence. The blame was fully placed on Luke despite five other DNA specimen samples belonging to other people being collected from the crime scene as well as evidence being destroyed. I also talked about the fact that Luke has been fighting for his freedom for over 20 years and refuses to accept deals, he has remained adamant that he will only walk out of prison when his innocence is proven. I covered the case and Luke's fight for justice in two parts, just in case you haven't had the chance to read the posts, you can find them here: Part One & here: Part Two

When I was sharing Luke's story I mentioned very briefly Joe Steele and Thomas 'TC' Campbell. These two men were victims of one of the biggest miscarriages of justice that the UK has ever seen. They had spent 18 years imprisoned for a heinous crime that they didn't commit and spent 20 years fighting to clear their names. Just like Luke, they had been dragged through the mud by the police and the press but luckily for them, they had a huge support network but it still wasn't easy. The unbelievable story of what Joe Steele and Thomas 'TC' Campbell went through was actually first brought to my attention by my favourite author (who also inspired me to write about true crime), the late and legendary Reg McKay. Reg had written about Joe and TC numerous times as well as collaborating on books with TC. Reg also wrote about them regularly in his newspaper column as a way to keep the story out there and further gather support for their campaign.

So in this post I will be focusing on the false imprisonment of Joe and TC as well as the horrifying crime in which they were accused. Without further ado, let's get into it...

As you might know, Glasgow holds a very special place in my heart and always will. It's a place I grew up, enjoyed so many amazing experiences, created so many memories and it's the place where my grandparents were born, where they met, fell in love and got married. It's where my mother was born and where they raised their children before my grandfather passed away at just 42. My grandmother worked in all of the great hospitals and my grandfather worked in the shipyards. I feel like I know the city like the back of my hand, I know where to go and where best to avoid. If you're ever needing some travel tips on where to go, museums, sightseeing, restaurants etc....I'm your gal!

What I also love about Glasgow (or as we call it 'Glesga') is that it's both modern but old school at the same time. There are still some old school cafes where you can pop in, have a cup of Scottish blend tea with a Tunnock's caramel wafer and just listen to the typical Glasgow banter from the city folk (''Are ye ok hen?, och it's rainin doon in buckets oot there''). Then there's the extraordinary beauty and wonder of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum where you can get lost for hours and enjoy a cup of cappuccino, soaking in all the history, stunning architecture and fascinating exhibitions. It's a city that has something for everyone but like all cities, it has it good parts and it's not-so good parts and that includes it's history. As a city, Glasgow has a lot to be proud of, an incredible past of shipbuilding, art, architecture, medical breakthroughs and it was known as the Second City of the British Empire. There's just so much history of this incredible place and it's people. Boston had a taste of Glaswegian sense of humour when the Scots flew over to the States for the World Cup recently and of course everyone got on so well that friendships for life were created. But there is also a dark history of Glasgow, one that is steeped in knife crime and hard times, especially back in the day and this post takes us back to 1984.

On the 16th of April 1984, the city of Glasgow and surrounding areas woke up to the horrifying news that a family home had been set on fire in the early hours of the morning. Nine people were in the property, members of the Doyle family plus their close friends. Only three people were able to get out alive, six members of the Doyle family sadly died. James Doyle (who was 53 years old), His son, James (who was 23), His 14 year old son, Anthony, his daughter Christina (who was just 25) and her 18 month old baby, Mark. James's 18 year old son Andrew also died and he was reportedly the main target. This evil and devastating murder of innocent people was reportedly down to Andrew's refusal to be part of a drugs racket. At the time, ice cream vans in Glasgow didn't only sell ice cream and treats, they were like little convenience stores on wheels. You could buy bread, milk, toilet rolls, cigarettes and toothpaste, even the newspapers! These vans were a godsend for elderly people and those who didn't have a car but as convenient as they were, some of them were a front for selling drugs. The Doyle family were not involved in anything like that and despite the intimidation and threats, Andrew stood his ground and refused to give up his route or the trust and safety of his local, regular customers.

(The Doyle family funeral. Picture credit: Pinterest)

Glasgow was notorious for gangland crime and everyone knew about different parts of the city where drug crime was rife. The likes of Tam McGraw who was a ruthless gangster ruled the streets and would often target local businesses with his little henchmen. The ice cream vans were a definite money-maker and McGraw was all about making money. Part of his routine was to threaten, bully and intimidate the owner of a business by offering to provide what he called 'security' services in exchange for a cut of the takings, if the owner refused it could prove to be deadly, as is in the case with the Doyle family. Tam was careful and also very much a coward so he would have others carry out his crimes and threats of intimidation.

The murders of the Doyle family shook the whole of Glasgow and people were terrified it was going to happen again. Who would set fire to someone's house in the early hours of the morning whilst people were asleep in their beds? Who would target a family home where there were children? especially a little baby? The Doyle home was a top floor flat so the person or persons who deliberately started the fire know that it would be extremely difficult for anyone inside to escape.

There was huge amounts of pressure on the police to find out who carried this evil crime out. In the weeks that followed, the heartbreaking funeral (which was a shared service for all six members of the deceased) took place. People were sobbing their hearts out for all the victims and they could barely hold on at the sight of Christine and Mark's coffin. The devoted young mother and her little boy shared the same coffin. After the funeral the tears and grief began to turn to rage and anger, the public demanded justice to be done and who could blame them?

Several arrests were made and eventually the police narrowed to two men that they were adamant were guilty of the Doyle murders, TC Campbell (31) and 22 year old Joe Steele. TC had been involved in petty crime and was caught up in the ice cream wars but wasn't involved in the Doyle murders, Joe had a background of petty crime and was an associate of TC but wasn't a part of the ice cream van disputes.

The so-called evidence against the pair of them was ridiculous, both of the men were no angels but murderers? The police were desperate to pin the murders on someone and close the case. All of a sudden a map of Glasgow appeared amongst TC's belongings which had the area where the Doyle family lived, circled. The police also claimed that they overheard TC saying that he meant to just frighten Andrew Doyle and that he wasn't the one who lit the match. An unrelated man who's son was facing a sentence for robbery and about to go down for a long time bargained with the police that he would give them some information about the Doyle family murders in exchange for them dropping the charges on his son. The cops agreed and the old man told them that he overheard TC Campbell and Joe Steele talking about the Doyle family murders in a bar, telling people that they did it. So TC and Joe were fitted up for the murders based on really weak evidence which was basically a planted map and rumours or made-up accusations.

Any other possible suspects were never looked in to. The pair were to stand trial and a jury of 15 people were to decide whether they thought the two men were guilty or not. Surprisingly every one of those 15 people decided that they were guilty of the Doyle family murders and they were sentenced to life imprisonment. TC was given an additional 10 year sentence because he was accused of previously threatening Andrew Doyle with a shotgun in the days leading up to the murders. In shock and disbelief they declared their innocence but nobody would listen, they were seen as cold-bloodied murderers, baby killers, scum of the earth and the rest of the Doyle family, friends, neighbours and general public just wanted to see the back of them, some people wanted to see them hang. The were hated deeply by so many because a lot of the public at that time believed in the law and what was printed in the newspapers.

In 1985, TC and Joe had tried to appeal their sentences but this was rejected. In a surprise turn of events, the man who claimed to have overheard them in a bar confessing to the Doyle murders, all of a sudden admitted that he lied under oath. Word got back to TC and Joe and they saw this as the green light to appeal again. Whilst the new evidence had came to life they were released pending the second appeal which they were confident would go through because the police have nothing on them. It was decided that the admission that the so-called witness had lied was still not enough to declare the men innocent so they were called back to prison to continue their sentences.

Both TC and Joe were determined not to give up and Joe decided to put some drastic plans into action in an attempt to get public attention. On a supervised visit to his mother's house who was said to have been in ill health at the time, Joe decided to pull some mad stunts for publicity. He stood on his mother's rooftop with a banner and then managed to get down to London where he (wearing a t-shirt with a painting of Christ of St John The Cross by Salvidor Dali - You can view this beautiful painting at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum by the way) superglued himself to the gates of Buckingham palace. In a later attempt at gaining publicity he managed to escape again and climbed a lighting tower. Each time he escaped and carried out these stunts he would hand himself back into authorities afterwards to continue his sentence. He was doing whatever he could to get all eyes on their case. TC's approach to protesting his innocence was growing his hair out and going on hunger strike which did get very serious at times. Family and friends who knew the pair well had always stood by them but by now, more and more members of the public were starting to support them.

(Joe Steele at the Buckingham Palace Gates. Picture credit: Daily Record)

The more members of the public looked into their story, the more demands were made for their release but authorities were doing their best to keep them inside. The police knew what they had done and it would be a huge scandal for all involved if the truth got out, but they had no choice. The truth won out in the end. In 2004, TC and Joe's case was at the court of appeal where the judges had declared their convictions unjust and that a major miscarriage of justice had occurred. Thomas 'TC' Campbell and Joe Steele were officially declared innocent and free to go!

It was a bittersweet victory when the two men were finally set free. TC was 51 years old and Joe was 42, they'd lost a lot of years away from their loved ones. Another sad fact about this story is that the men deeply disliked each other. Joe later spoke about their release and the publicity photos where the pair are seen cheering and celebrating....apparently that was all for show. They were happy at being released finally but there was no love lost between them. The two men had their reasons for not seeing eye to eye but Joe did say in an interview that he felt resentment because he was just 22 years old and was loosely acquainted with TC. He felt that TC's negative involvement with the Ice Cream Wars in the past had played a part in why they were both found guilty. There was also disagreements with the protests, publicity and with working on appeals and breaking a reported pact that they'd agreed on. They had previously agreed not to accept easier conditions but TC agreed to have a transfer to a special unit and this upset Joe. I found it particularly sad that they were not close as you would expect with such a traumatic experience to have happened to them both.

After their ordeal they found it difficult to adjust to life outside of prison. Joe tried his best to get on with life and be with his family, TC tried the same, it wasn't easy for either of them and they did battle with substances and alcohol in an attempt to cope with the post traumatic stress disorder. Joe had the support of his family and friends around him. TC led a quiet life and was reportedly living alone when he sadly passed away in June 2019 in his sleep, he was just 66 years old. Joe said that he hated TC and was never friends with him which is quite a strong stance on things. He did say that they spoke a short time before TC passed away and had managed to iron out a lot of their differences.

In regards to compensation for everything they had been through, I can imagine that this helped further the divide between them. TC was given around £1.2 million - £2 million because the loss of earnings from his ice cream business had been taken into account. Joe was given £750,000 because he was unemployed at the time. Apparently your status of employment determines how much compensation you are rewarded. I think both of them should have been given the same, both of them were falsely accused, vilified and lost many years of their lives.

There's many interviews that Joe has done because he has always been determined to get the truth out there. I've included interviews featuring Joe and TC below.

(Tam McGraw. Picture credit: The Scottish Sun)

As for the horrifying murders of the Doyle family, it's heartbreaking that the police are refusing to reopen the case. It remains unsolved to this day. All fingers are pointing at Tam McGraw but he passed away in 2007 at the age of 55. He was said to have led his later life in fear, constantly paranoid. He had so many enemies and was so disliked that there was hitmen willing to kill him for free. With McGraw gone and a lot of his associates deceased, will this case ever be solved? To this day, rumours remain and despite the lack of evidence there are people out there who do actually think that TC and Joe were guilty. There's some who think that TC was guilty all along and that Joe was innocent, some believe that TC was involved especially with him having the ice cream van himself. They thought that was part of the reason that Joe disliked TC. It's all thoughts and speculation, nobody knows the real answers here. I just wish that there were answers and proper closure for the Doyle family.

Reg McKay is no longer with us and it breaks my heart because he was an incredibly fearless writer. I will always be flying the flag for his incredible work. I've read every book he's ever written and it saddens me that there is no more but for those who are not familiar with his books, I will always recommend them. I will include them in my list of further reading below.

So what are your thoughts on this story? I would love to hear them, please share your comments below or email me at jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com

RIP to the Doyle family, TC, Reg... you will never be forgotten.

Further Reading & Sources:

- The Wilderness Years: Book by Reg McKay & TC Campbell

- Indictment: Book by Reg McKay & TC Campbell

- Remembering TC Campbell | Miscarriages Of Justice

- TC Campbell: Article | Daily Record

- Tam McGraw: Book by Reg Mckay

- Ice Cream Wars | Wikipedia

- Joe Steele: Interview | Anything Goes With James English

- Joe Steele: Interview | The Jim King Show

- TC Campbell: Interview | Anything Goes With James English

- TC Campbell: Article | BBC News

- Joe Steele: Interview | Shaun Attwood Podcast

- The Ice Cream Wars | BBC One

Thank you, as always for checking out my latest post, I hope you will join me in the next one. in the meantime, come and say hello on my Socials

Take care and stay safe...until next time x

''He Passed A Lie Detector Test + The Cops Destroyed Evidence'' | Was Luke Mitchell Innocent All Along? Part Two

(Front page article on the case: The Sun)

Continued from part one.....

As I mentioned in part one, this case stirs up a lot of emotions in people and quite rightly so. At the end of the day, a young girl was brutally murdered and the investigation into her death was (in my opinion, which seems to be shared by many others) not investigated properly. This isn't just about raising questions about the treatment of Luke Mitchell and the lack of a fair trial, it's about trying to find justice for Jodi, proper justice. This case needs to be looked at again, everything laid out on the table, nothing held back. If there was some new evidence that proved without a shadow of a doubt that Luke Mitchell was 100% guilty, then at least nobody could say that he wasn't given a second chance at a fair trial and investigation.

A second proper look at this case would help silence any doubts or questions that people may have, if the truth is presented in it's entirety then nobody can argue with that.

Jodi's grandmother was never charged with perjury for telling the boys with the moped not to come forward, Corinne and Shane were questioned and charged with lying to provide an alibi for Luke. This was later dropped. Corinne was also accused of disposing of evidence which she denied and they found no evidence of. The portable wood burner in her back garden was thoroughly examined and there was no evidence that she had burned any clothing. She volunteered to take a lie detector test (a few months after Luke had taken his) which was conducted by one of the UK's lie detector experts, Terry Mullins. She was asked a series of questions about whether she lied for Luke and disposed of evidence, she passed the lie detector test.

Luke had undergone one a few months before. Neither he or his mother knew beforehand the questions that were going to be asked. Luke had been taken to a visiting room with very little privacy. As the exam was taking place, officers and other people were outside looking in, making faces and trying to distract him, to them he was 100% a murderer and deserved no sympathy. Terry also carried out this exam and it was he who instructed Luke to keep his eyes closed through the test to avoid being distracted. Some people later said that this was some sort of meditation thing that Luke was doing because he was a psychopath just trying to outsmart the exam. The questions were asked repeatedly if he murdered Jodi Jones, the results of his exam determined him to be innocent on every question asked.

The polygraph tests that Luke and Corinne undertook and passed, were after he was convicted and they knew they wouldn't be able to use them for anything except to show the public that they were innocent. Despite the results, there was still many people who didn't buy it. Some people just assumed that they had outsmarted the tests. It didn't help that the newspapers continued to print negative articles about him.

When Luke was first arrested and questioned, it was reported that he had been quite hostile with the police. This was seen as him thinking he was smart and apparently acting like he didn't care about Jodi. Some people forget that he was a 14 year old kid and yes, he had a chip on his shoulder, wouldn't you? He could see what was happening from the moment they separated him from Jodi's family, they were out to get him and his defences were up.

(Corrine and Luke. Picture credit: The Steeple Times)

There was a lot of controversy and outrage when Luke and Corrine had taken part in a Sky News interview. Luke had been banned from attending Jodi's funeral and the press kept hounding the Mitchell family. They agreed to do an interview to pay tribute to Jodi in their own way as well as express to the public that Luke was innocent. They clearly stated that they didn't want his interview to be broadcast to the public on the day of Jodi's funeral. Sky News went ahead and aired the footage anyway on the day of the funeral to public outrage. Throughout this interview, Corinne was seen trying to comfort Luke, holding his hand and rubbing his shoulder. This was apparently creepy, a mother trying to comfort her 14 year old child (who was on all kinds of anti-anxiety medications at the time as well as being accused of being a murderer).

Luke was confident that this nightmare would be coming to an end and they would realise that they had no evidence on him. At his trial he was told not to show any emotion by the judge (as well as his legal team which was lead by the famous Donald Findlay QC). To the media and the public, this played into that whole 'no remorse and cold bloodied killer' narrative that was being put on to him. Luke had faith that the truth would come to light when witnesses failed to identify him, he believed that to be a crucial moment along with the lack of DNA evidence. He was shocked to find himself found guilty and sentenced to a minimum of 20 years before being considered for parole.

Luke has been in prison for far longer than his set 20 years, he has been offered deals many times to get out of prison early if he says that he was responsible for the death of Jodi Jones. He refuses to say he's guilty and refuses to take part in any classes because he says he does not need them because he is not responsible for Jodi's death. He has said many times that he will not leave prison until it is acknowledged that he is an innocent man. If he had accepted a deal years ago, he would have been out of prison by now but he refuses to plead guilty to a crime he says that he didn't commit.

Luke has lost his teenage years, his twenties....he's lost his youth. He's now 38 years old. He's spent more time living behind bars than he has done outside. Appeals are thrown out because he refuses to agree to their terms which includes saying that he killed Jodi. His refusal to say he's guilty demonstrates to them that he has no remorse. He has stood firm all of these years that the truth will come out. He more than anyone, welcomes a re-trial, why do all of that again if you were guilty? Why stay behind bars putting yourself through hell if you knew that just admitting to whatever they threw at you, you'd be back outside. Corinne sadly passed away in July and Luke was allowed to attend her funeral....handcuffed to a prison guard with the press taking pictures. Is that acceptable? Taking pictures of someone on the day of their mother's funeral?

Corinne remained devoted to him right up until the day she died. She was just 66 years old. In her younger years, she was a beautiful woman who worked hard just to try and give her boys the best life that she could. When Jodi was horrifically murdered and her son was put in the hot seat she battled to clear his name. She endured years of hardship, abuse, harassment and lost everything. She was branded evil, a monster, had her businesses burned down and was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with her son.

The relatives of Jodi, whatever the real story is with them, is pretty complicated. They'd been through a lot of hardships and the loss of Jodi would have been utterly devastating for them. There is nothing but sympathy for the loss of Jodi but there are questions that need to be answered for Jodi's sake and for Luke.

If I had a loved one who had been murdered and there was a lack of DNA evidence as well as a whole stack of questions unanswered and things that just didn't add up.....I would be welcoming a re-trial. I would want to know that they had the right person 100%.

These two posts have been so long and I've only just touched the surface of this case, there's so much more to be said. I will do as I always do with my posts and leave it up to you, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I'm interested in hearing arguments for and against a re-trial.

(Front page article featuring Luke Mitchell. Picture credit: The Scottish Sun)

Some comments on the case from Youtube:

''This needs a retrial ASAP! That poor lad thrown under the bus by corrupt police. The amount of effort they've put into convicting him. Why wouldn't they put the same energy into following the real evidence. So sad, I hope he and his family get some justice soon.'' - @Scorchio100

''Having been through the justice system myself and prison in my younger days. I know for a fact the police, court system, judges and lawyers are all in it together and I'm sure many people could tell stories of the utter corruption in the Scottish justice system. I just hope that someone has the balls to stand up and say we got it wrong.'' - @Joe99f1

''I grew up in Dalkeith and honestly, everyone thought well before the trial that he was guilty. The media had put so much on him it's unbelievable considering he was a child. But, consider this, Luke would be at home leave stage, open prison, preparation for freedom, which was offered to him. If it was up to Luke, he could have been out, but he's intentionally staying behind bars to maintain his innocence, honestly doesn't match a guilty person. Nobody would admit to something like that if they hadn't did it.'' - @DarrenHenderson6921

''That wee boy's innocent. He's got no one, just him and his wee ma.'' - Joe Steele (who, himself was falsely imprisoned for 18 years for a crime he didn't commit).

''Luke Mitchell should never have been charged, let alone convicted.'' - Prof David Wilson (one of the UK's leading Criminologists)

So what are your thoughts on this? Do you believe that Luke Mitchell deserves a re-trial? I welcome all thoughts and opinions below or by email: jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com

I have included a list below of links to references, sources, articles, books and interviews that you might want to watch if you are looking to have a deep-dive into this case:

- Innocents Betrayed: A True Story of Justice Abandoned | Book by Sandra Lean

- A Long Walk To Justice | Book By Scott Forbes

- Luke Mitchell Article | Edinburgh News

- Corrine Mitchell: Article | The Steeple Times

- Luke Mitchell (Documentary) | Frontline Scotland

- Sandra Lean's Interview on The James English Podcast

- Corinne Mitchell's Interview on The James English Podcast

- A Long Walk To Justice (Documentary) | SUMBOY Productions

- Luke Mitchell....In His Own Words!

- Luke Mitchell | Polygraph Test

- Scott Forbes Interview on The James English Podcast

- Help Luke Mitchell Fight For His Life | The Luke Mitchell Campaign

- We Stand With Luke | Linktree

- The Luke Mitchell Campaign on X

- The Luke Mitchell Campaign on Instagram

I know this was quite a lot to get through in these posts but I really do appreciate your time as always, I hope that my posts have provided you with some information about the case that you weren't aware of before? You might be completely knew to the case but whatever your standing is on this, thank you for reading.

I hope one day that all of these questions will be fully answered, that justice will prevail. I do hope that we see a re-trial for Luke Mitchell

RIP to Jodi and Corinne, you will never be forgotten.

My heart goes out to both the Jones and Mitchell families.

I hope you will join me in my next post, in the meantime, you can find me on all of my socials here

Please take care of yourself and stay safe, until next time x

''Just Confess You Little B*stard!'' | 14 Year Old Luke Mitchell Was Demonized By The Media & The Police.....But Was He Innocent All Along?| GRAPHIC! Part One!

(Luke Mitchell. Picture credit: The Sun)

*Please be aware that the details shared in this post will be disturbing. I have aimed, as always, to be as sensitive with the details as I possibly can be, whilst not taking away from the facts of the case. If you would like to discuss this post with me or any of the cases I have covered, please email me at jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com*

So, this is a case that certainly divides opinion and has done so for the past 2 decades for many reasons. The horrific, sadistic and brutal murder of a 14 year old girl in a small town in Scotland, didn't just shock the historic market town of Dalkeith in Midlothian, it shocked the whole of the UK and beyond.

Jodi Jones was just a schoolgirl with her whole life ahead of her yet somebody decided to take this innocent young girl's life in the most sickest and cruelest way. She had been mutilated before and after death and had been left wearing nothing but a pair of muddy socks. Monday the 30th of June 2003 began as a typical school day for Jodi, she attended her classes as usual and went home to do a quick change before heading out to meet her boyfriend, Luke Mitchell, who was also 14. They'd been dating for around 5 months and met through friends. The pair seemed to click and get each other's sense of humour. Both of them were very much into the alternative music scene. Luke was a huge fan of Nirvana and Jodi loved Marilyn Manson. Their sense of style was similar in many ways, baggy jeans and a band t-shirt. As well as being a young lovestruck couple, they got on well with each others families too.

They did see each other at school that day but only briefly, they planned to catch up later in the day. It was a regular routine that they would spend time together after school. Luke and Jodi would often meet up and either go for a long walk and a catch-up or go to each others houses. Luke had arranged to meet Jodi the same place he always did. When he arrived at their usual meeting place, Jodi was nowhere to be seen. He just assumed she was running a bit late and hung on waiting for a little bit longer. She was having issues with her mobile phone so he figured she would probably text him from her mother's phone at some point. He waited as long as he could and decided to go back home, expecting to hear from her later.

At home he received a text from Jodi's mother, for Jodi. The text was telling Jodi to get home because it was getting late. Puzzled by the message, Luke called Jodi's mother and told her that he hadn't seen her all night. Jodi did have a habit at times to stay out late but with no word from her whatsoever, concern started to creep in. Luke decided to take his beloved dog, Mia with him and take a walk to the footpath and usual route that he and Jodi would often walk together, in the off-chance that he would bump into her. He was surprised to see Jodi's sister with her boyfriend and grandmother at the footpath, they had been contacted by Jodi's mother and all came to have a look for her. They walked up and down the footpath and didn't see her anywhere but Luke's dog Mia became interested in the high stone wall which had a v-shaped break in the middle, the break was low enough for someone to climb over. Luke followed Mia and climbed over the wall where he made the horrifying discovery of Jodi. She was nude, had her hands tied behind her back with a bloody pair of trousers. She had been attacked very viciously with a sharp object, almost to the point of decapitation, she had also been kicked, dragged by her hair. Her neck, left breast and abdomen were ferociously slashed. Her face had been cut and bruised. She had defensive wounds and had lost a significant amount of blood which wasn't found at the scene, suggesting that she had been murdered somewhere else and dragged to that location. Luke shouted for the others to come and got on to the phone straight away to call the police. The others climbed over the wall and Jodi's grandmother cradled Jodi in her arms (which, under the circumstances you could understand but with Luke and Jodi's relatives all close to her body, it contaminated the crime scene).

When the police arrived, everyone was quickly instructed to move away from Jodi. They were all questioned and instead of carrying out appropriate procedure by taping off the crime scene until the forensics team had arrived, they had officers walking about all over the place, contaminating the scene further. Luke noticed that he had been separated from the others, he also had his phone taken from him (which was later destroyed - Luke later claimed that the phone contained evidence that would have been beneficial to his case. He also noticed that Jodi's relatives had not had their phones taken from them). One of Jodi's family offered to give him a cigarette but an officer told them not to have any physical contact with him. All of a sudden it dawned on Luke that he was being kept from the others because the cops were trying to paint him as a suspect. Forensics did finally arrive and took samples of everything. There was a used condom that had been found not that far from the scene which contained semen. Jodi had not been sexually assaulted but being found nude, tied up and being mutilated, suggested this was a sexually motivated crime.

Luke was taken to the police station where he endured a full humiliating strip search at the age of just 14 years of age. There had been no time to wash or change clothes. His hair was quite greasy because it hadn't been washed for a few days. They found no cuts, blood, dirt, scratches or bruises on Luke. They took endless samples of hair, blood and skin from Luke. Underneath his fingernails were also scrapped. The results of all of these samples revealed that there was no DNA from Jodi on Luke whatsoever. Jodi had been brutally murdered and lost a significant amount of blood, as well as being dragged to the location where she was found. The killer would have been dirty, would most definitely had Jodi's blood on him a well as scratches where she had been trying to defend herself. Skin was actually found underneath Jodi's fingernails but this information was either hidden or destroyed because they knew that the skin underneath her nails did not match Luke Mitchell. Again, he had no scratches on him.

From the get-go, before any samples were taken or any attempt at an investigation, the police had already decided that Luke Mitchell was 100% responsible for the murder of Jodi Jones. Due to the fact that Luke was not your typical local boy, he was into a lot of alternative bands as I mentioned before. He was also curious about Satanism and liked knives, violent movies and video games. Jodi was also into similar things and they both would smoke hash occasionally. There was allegations that Luke had gotten Jodi into smoking hash but she was already into that practice before he met her. Jodi had a difficult home life and a lot of that was hidden from the public because the whole aim was that the focus was to solely be on Luke Mitchell and alleged Satanic monster that they were portraying him to be.

It's shocking to think that in 2003 and beyond, it was deemed acceptable for a child under the age of 16 to have pictures of themselves and their family, plastered all over the newspapers before any conviction. It was horrendous enough what happened to Jodi and the focus should have been on the investigation to the fullest, and I mean EVERYONE connected to Jodi should have been investigated. You can't look at a child and just because they have a bit of a dark vibe about them or wear a type of clothing you don't deem 'conservative', to be guilty just because you want to hurry up and close a case that you already messed up from the start due to your unprofessional conduct.

At the same age as Luke, I was a goth from a small town in Scotland so I know how it can be, to be viewed as a weirdo and an outsider. I wore black nail polish, black lipstick, dressed in black. I listened to heavy metal (still do), practiced witchcraft, wore pentagrams and liked violent movies, especially horror. I would have people looking me in the street, making comments and rumours would go around about me at school that I drank blood and worshipped Satan. Some people would make fun of me and some people would do their best to avoid me because they thought I was a nutcase. Did these people know me personally? No, they just judged me on my appearance. Here, we have this horrific murder of a young girl and the brutal way in which she was murdered looked satanic. Judgement was immediately placed on Luke without any thorough investigation just because they viewed him as a 'weirdo'.

So Luke was their main focus but I believe they knew pretty much early on that they had messed up this case but they couldn't hold their hands up to it. Jobs would be lost, careers destroyed. They knew they had nothing on him in terms of the DNA so together with the press (which we know from some of the past cases that I have covered, that they share information with each other, especially if they are trying to control the narrative and shape the public view), they worked together to paint this never ending picture of Luke and his mother Corinne (who recently passed away, July 2026) which continues to this very day. They printed everything from accusing him of being obsessed with Marilyn Manson (despite owning only one CD after Jodi's death, which contained one of Jodi's favourite songs, Marilyn's cover of 'Tainted Love'. He also had a torn up Marilyn Manson calendar which was given to him. He wasn't interested in Manson, he was all about Nirvana and the gunge scene). They said he had tortured animals and had cut the throat of a pet dog and hung the animal from his front door which was complete (as well as a sick) lies. They accused him of having an incestuous relationship with his own mother, they would make a big deal about whatever t-shirt he was seen wearing and call it a 'Satanic t-shirt', He quoted lines from well-known video games and songs in a journal and these 'journalists' would say ''look, he's evil, look at what he's written''. They also said he was obsessed with the infamous shocking murder of Elizabeth Short (also known as The Black Dahlia case) despite having no evidence on this. It was absolute madness and a huge number of the public believed every word that they read!

The level of harassment, bullying and winding up the public, was off the scale and I can't believe to this day that it was allowed to happen. As well as the miscarriage of justice that's taken place here (just hear me out before you shoot the boots off of me) we have all this that was printed in well-known Scottish newspapers and if Luke gets a re-trial and is found innocent, there will be a hell of a lot of suing going on, so it's in their best interests to continue to paint him as a monster. Whether you believe him to be guilty or not, you must admit, is this acceptable behaviour? Is this fair before someone has their day in court? Is this fair for someone who they cannot say is 100% guilty?

The truth is, Luke was a bit of a mummy's boy and he was a bit of an 'odd kid', some of his tastes might seem a bit out there for the average person. Look at me, I write about serial killers and love horror movies, am I to be judged or cast from society? I often get judged as a 'weirdo' for what I write, but I don't care, I'm an adult, he was a kid. As for his attitude towards animals, Luke and Corinne would look after hedgehogs as well as dogs. Luke adored his dog Mia. There was no history of animal torture or violence in Luke's background. He lived in a nice part of town and was a brilliant student, one of the kids that was top of the class. Corinne was very over protective of both Luke and his older brother Shane, almost to the point of babying both of the boys and to some people not familiar with them, this was painted to be abnormal. She was just a really over protective mother. The only big event in Luke's childhood was his parent's divorce but this was done amicably. Luke and Corinne had a very close relationship, he respected his mother. He was well-spoken and had manners which Corinne had brought both boys up with.

The police didn't bother to look into anyone else despite other possible suspects. The focus was purely on Luke who lived with his mother and his older brother Shane. Originally it was stated that Corinne and Shane were out of the house working on the evening of Jodi's murder. Luke was reportedly at home making dinner. Landline phone records at the time place someone in the house, making incoming and outgoing calls, Luke claims that this was him talking to his mother about what to make for dinner, Luke enjoyed cooking so this was quite routine for him. There was some doubts understandably raised when it was later revealed that Luke claimed that Shane was actually in his room upstairs, whilst he was in the kitchen. Shane had changed his original statement because investigators had found that someone in his bedroom had been accessing porn sites on his computer at that time. Shane claimed that this was him but in a strange twist of events, said that he couldn't say 100% if Luke had been downstairs in the kitchen. Shane assumed there was nobody in the house and he believed the house was empty at the time otherwise he wouldn't have been watching porn.

This change up from the original statements didn't sit right with the public understandably and did hurt Luke's case. It's not known why Shane would change his version of events, maybe he was embarrassed that he was watching porn in his room? he was just a teenager himself at the time. Luke and Corinne might have lied about Shane being at work to protect him from the embarrassment. Shane also claimed that his original statement was highly influenced by his mother. I admit this doesn't look good but it still doesn't mean that Luke Mitchell is a murderer. This could be a mother trying to protect her sons? Whatever the situation with Shane is, in the present tense, I do not know but he has not been part of any of Luke's campaigns and has chosen to distance himself. This could be due to the negative treatment from the press and some of the public and Shane may have decided that he'd had enough of all of that?. There are rumours that the relationship with Shane, his mother and Luke had broken down due to Shane's resentment of Corinne always putting the focus on Luke. Whether this is true or not, I don't know, but it is true that Corinne tirelessly campaigned for Luke for the best part of 20 years, it would be unreasonable to expect it not to cause some tense relations with Shane.

The Mitchell's were not the only ones switching up statements, Jodi's sister, her boyfriend and Jodi's grandmother had changed their original statements from the dog finding Jodi's body to Luke finding Jodi's body by himself. What was also unknown to the public at the time was the questionable history of some of Jodi's relatives, especially someone very close to her (I won't state who this person is because I do hope this case will be a re-trial. Those who have looked into the case thoroughly will know who I'm talking about). This close relative had a violent past, described as psychotic and heavily reliant on medication just to function somewhat normally. This person was on and off their medication and just five weeks before Jodi's murder, this person brutally assaulted her and had to be sectioned. This person had also previously assaulted Jodi's grandmother and had stabbed Jodi's mother. This highly dangerous person, when not fully medicated, is a huge risk to people and animals. They were also extremely paranoid and carried a knife around with them. This person was also reportedly seen walking behind Jodi on the evening a short while before she was murdered.

(Jodi Jones. Picture credit: BBC News)

This person I've just been talking about, didn't bother to search for Jodi when she was reported missing.

The police had made a public appeal for two boys who were seen with a moped, near to the location where Jodi was found on the evening she was murdered. Even disturbingly, the moped was spotted leaned up against the wall near to the exact location and time that Jodi's murder was said to have taken place. It turned out that one of these boys was Jodi's cousin and the other was a distant relative. These boys didn't come forward at first because Jodi's grandmother told them not to. So like some would say, there's Corinne and her sons switching up some of the details of their statements but we also have Jodi's grandmother telling these boys not to go to the police.

As I mentioned before, Jodi's family had their difficulties, what family doesn't? but it seems that there's was more extreme than most. Jodi had it very tough and battled metal health issues herself. He father sadly took his own life when she was just 8 years old, after a long battle with depression. The sudden death of Jodi's father may have had an impact of this close relative that assaulted her five weeks before her death. It's not known why this person always targeted Jodi but they had a lot of anger issues when it came to women and girls.

The boys on the moped, the psychotic relative, the twists and turns with the statements were not looked into.

Five unidentified profiles were found at the crime scene and none of them matched Luke Mitchell. They finally did something about the used condom that was found near the scene. They managed to trace the guy by mistake, he'd been arrested on another charge and his DNA matched the semen. This was three years afterwards and they already convicted Luke Mitchell by this point. They didn't care. The guy, who lived next to the footpath and who's house had a clear view of the footpath, claimed that he had gone down there to masturbate using a condom. He claimed that he had been sharing a room with his brother at the time and couldn't get any privacy. He said he went down there to pleasure himself and as soon as he finished jerking off in broad daylight (I don't why he couldn't have just gone into the bathroom at home, turned on some loud music and jerked off away to his hearts content in his house, but yeah....very dodgy if you ask me) he threw the used condom onto the ground (such a classy gentleman).

Instead of looking into this creepy condom guy they decided not to bother taking the matter any further. It was like, all of these red flags and neon signs all over the place with this person and that person and these people and those people.....but no, case closed, Luke Mitchell is being done for it and we don't want to lose our jobs and be sued to the moon and back!

If you're still with me at this point, I salute you because it is very hard to keep track of all of this. This is not a straight forward case with so many people involved and so many lines of investigation and evidence that were ignored, dismissed or destroyed. I know this case was just over 20 years ago but to know that all of this was allowed to take place, is just unbelievable. I'd been hearing for years about Luke Mitchell's innocence from various people, leading Criminologists like Professor David Wilson, previous inmates who met Luke, the legendary (and wrongfully convicted and vindicated after 18 years of false imprisonment) Joe Steele, numerous names, numerous campaigns but radio silence from the authorities. If Reg McKay was still alive today (dearly missed true crime author and my main inspiration for this blog) I'm sure he would be writing about this case with no cares given. That was the kind of writer he was, fearless and he knew a stitch-up when he saw one.

Continued in part two...

(All further reading, references & sources will be mentioned at the end of the concluding post)

He Was Obsessed With Bratz Dolls....Then He Decided He Wanted A Real One Of His Own.

(Terence Darrell Kelly. Picture credit: The Guardian)

*Please be aware that some of the details shared in this post will be quite disturbing. I have aimed, as always, to be as sensitive as I can be with the details whilst not taking away from the facts of the case. If you would like to discuss this post or any of the other cases that I have covered on this blog, please feel free to email me at jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com*

Isn't it crazy how social media has become such an every day thing in our lives? Even old school people who tried to avoid being a part of it had to join in eventually. I get the latest news from X (Twitter - I still call it Twitter) and literally everyone that I know has some form of social apps on their phone. Everyone seems to have Facebook, even the ones that hate it. Some people have Facebook but never use it and prefer being on another social platform. Everyone has their favourites and for me, it's X/Twitter. So being online over the years, you don't need me to tell you that there is quite a few people on these platforms that are 'a few sandwiches short of a picnic basket' shall we say.

All jokes aside, you get your usual perverts (and that's scary enough....I don't even want to tell you some of the horrific things I have seen and heard, the most unbelievable and strangest sexual fetishes right through to so many monstrosities that I won't even mention, you get the drift).

You get your harmless oddballs and your potentially dangerous oddballs and sometimes it is difficult to decipher who's harmless and who isn't. Step forward a Mr Terence Kelly from the beautiful country of Australia (I've written a few cases out of Australia lately, go check them out if you haven't already done so), who shocked, not just Australia but the rest of the world when it was revealed that he had abducted a 4 year old girl from a campsite. That just there is terrifying enough but we thank the lord that the little girl known as Cleo Smith, was found alive after being held captive by Terrence for 18 days. The monster even followed the girl's family on social media and watched as they frantically searched and appealed for information, knowing full well that he had taken this poor child from her devastated family.

The fact this beautiful child was found and returned safely into the arms of her family, was such a miracle and a blessing because we all know how horrific these types of situations can go. I've written about a number of cases involving child abduction and murder, and it never gets easier, it always haunts me. 18 days with this utterly strange individual and it must have been terrifying. In a strange place with a strange man and far away from your parents, it must have been such a fright for little Cleo but she was such a tough little thing, she endured it and powered through. She was a lot stronger than most adults and I'm so glad that she was found.

Terence Kelly's home demonstrated that the guy's state of mental health was way worse than anyone thought. After a thorough search of his home and online activities they found that Terence, who was in his 30's, was completely obsessed with Bratz Dolls! So much so that he had shelves full of them as well as stacks of merchandise. Bratz is a well known cartoon which is based on young girls who love fashion and glamour. The cartoon is aimed at young girls, not adults. Some adult women like to wear Bratz merch like t-shirts or dress up like them for Halloween but it's pretty much a child's cartoon and designed just to be for fun. For some odd reason Terence was obsessed beyond belief, he would wear Bratz T-shirts and take the dolls out with him in his car. He would talk to them, brush their hair, change their outfits and take selfies with them. He said that he loved hanging out with them at home. He actually made videos online of himself with the dolls.

I'm sure some people would have thought that the guy had issues and was harmless, but to me it just looks like red flags all over the place. What have I always said with these types of individuals, they start with the fantasies and then they want the real thing. For Terence, it was the cartoon, then he had to have the dolls and then he wanted his own real life doll so he snatched a terrified child away from her family. It was an evil and selfish act to have done such a thing as well as stalking her family as they searched for Cleo.

Again, I'm just thankful that Cleo was found and hopefully has been able to take steps to move on with her life.

A lot of people go through difficult childhoods and they don't go on to kidnap children. Terence did have a traumatic childhood and suffered a lot of physical and psychological abuse. It is believed that he created a fantasy life for himself (as abused children often do) as an attempt at coping with the difficulties in his life. He became fixated on cartoons and being so lonely and isolated, he felt that these cartoons were his friends. He was removed from his parents home at a young age and placed with another relative, his great-aunt. When she passed away, his feelings of isolation and loneliness just got worse. He was even more fixated on cartoons, toys and Bratz dolls as if he was trying to compensate for the childhood that was taken from him.

Terence pleaded guilty to Cleo's abduction and was sentenced to 13 years and 6 months (he maybe eligible for parole after 11 years and 6 months). He did try to appeal this sentence but this was dismissed. He is currently serving his sentence at maximum-security prison known as Casuarina in Perth (Western Australia).

This was another shocking case but thankfully one that ended on a positive note with Cleo being found. I do hope that Terence is able to receive the proper psychiatric help that he needs. With such a difficult upbringing, another bizarre fact about this story is that Terence is probably better off in a facility where he can be able to work through his trauma and difficulties. What are your thoughts on this case? Leave your comments below or email me in confidence at jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com

Further Reading & Sources:

- Terence Kelly: Article | The Guardian

- Terence Kelly: Article | The Independent

- Terence Kelly: Article | ABC News

- Terence Kelly: Article | The West Australian

- Cleo Smith | Wikipedia

- Terence Kelly: Article | BBC News

- Terence Kelly: Article | Sky News

I hope you will join me in my next post. In the meantime as always, I hope to see you on my Socials

Until next time, please stay safe and take care x

It Just Doesn't Add Up! The Strange Disappearance of Theo Hayez

(Theo Hayez. Picture credit: The Guardian)

It's just over seven years ago that the 18 year old, bright, talented and handsome young Theo Hayez suddenly vanished during a backpacking holiday in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Just gone without a trace, leaving behind only his favourite baseball cap and a suspicious phone timeline. Like thousands of young people he had a dream to go on a backpacking trip to the beautiful, scenic country of Australia and soak up the sights, the culture and new experiences. He also had plans to visit his Godfather (who he was extremely close to) who lived in the country, however, what was supposed to be a dream trip, ended in a nightmare. Originally from Belgium, the academically gifted Theo left his beloved home for the short trip which he wanted to enjoy before he returned home to Belgium to continue his academic studies. However, it wasn't meant to be. To this day, nobody knows what truly happened to Theo. Theories and rumours continue to swirl and the spotlight is on police and investigators who were so quick to dismiss this young man's sudden disappearance as a tragic accident. They where quick to assume he just fell off of a cliff and was carried out to sea. No body was ever found and the police were so lazy in their search of the surrounding area where Theo was last located, that they failed to find his baseball cap which was highly visible.

It was left to Theo's family members to do their own investigation and what they were able to discover was so much more than the actual police did. They never gave up trying to find out what really happened to him that night of the 31st of May going into the 1st of June 2019. His mother was able to figure out his password to his Google account and it was there she was able to trace Theo's last text messages and locations from his mobile phone.

The timeline with the information from Theo's personal phone, paints a different story to the theory by the Australian police that this was just an accident. On the evening of the 31st of May 2019 Theo had been at a bar called 'Cheeky Monkeys' with fellow backpackers who he had become friendly with. He reportedly had two drinks that night which were spaced out, he wasn't binge drinking. There are disputes about whether he was intoxicated or not but he was told to leave the bar because he was deemed to be a bit worse for wear. Those who saw him that night, footage from the CCTV cameras and the information from Theo's phone painted him to be sober and calm.

When he was reported missing, his family were desperate to get a hold of the data from Theo's phone because they believed that he could have been the victim of foul play. The New South Wales police said that they would be unable to gain access to Theo's Google account. The police in Belgium became involved in the case and they believed that something had happened to Theo. Theo's mother figured out his Google password and was able to get some information from his phone with the help of the Belgium police.

They were able to follow a trail via Theo's phone which led them right up to the place that Theo reportedly went missing which was the cliff. The police claim that he fell off due to how dark it was and they assumed him to be intoxicated or high at the time. Other people believe that he had been led down there by someone or a gang of people because he'd Googled the directions to his Hostel a few times and at one point he stopped for a total of seven minutes and the phone trail went in a totally opposite direction to his Hostel. He was reportedly walking as if he knew exactly where he was going despite having never been there before.

Despite this strange route he was taking, he seemed to be calmly responding to his friend's Whatsapp messages without any issues in the early hours of the morning. After 1 am everything went completely silent and Theo was never heard from again.

Despite officially disappearing around the 31st of May and the 1st of June 2019, he was not reported missing until the 6th of June. His family had not heard from him and at first they assumed he was just busy travelling but as time went on, they were more and more concerned. Both his family and the Hostel staff, where he had been staying, had contacted the police. The Hostel staff noticed that Theo hadn't checked out.

An investigation was launched but significant time had already been wasted. As I mentioned before, the police were so quick to dismiss this case as a tragic accident. They didn't have access to Theo's phone data and if they had searched thoroughly then they would have found his baseball cap.

In this case, we see again how much of an important role that CCTV cameras and mobile phones have actually played in giving Theo's family and the police more of an idea of what exactly happened that night to some extent. Due to public interest and belief in the family's theories together with the phone data, the public were also demanding that the NSW police look into this case further. A $500,000 award was issued for anyone who may have had any information of what happened to Theo around the time that his phone went quiet and he disappeared.

Before Theo was reported missing, he was at a happy time in his life according to those who knew him best. He was excited for the trip, excited for the future and returning to studying, He also adored his family and was very close with them. There was no issues or anything that appeared to be bothering him. It didn't make sense that he would just go to that exact location where it's almost pitch black with rocks everywhere. His family believe that if he was down there, it would be because someone or a group of people took him down there.

Years went on and there was still no answers. The first inquest into his death determined that he was likely to be deceased but they couldn't be 100% certain. As it stands in 2026, the NSW police still believe that Theo died as a tragic accident. His family, friends and people with an interest in the case, believe that someone or a group of people were possibly involved in his death. To this day Theo's family still appeal for information and try as much as they can to keep Theo's name in the public eye.

So what happened to Theo Hayez? Was it just a tragic accident or something more? Could he still be alive? Again, this is another case where there are so many questions but not enough answers. Theo's family have been so strong throughout these years, the pain of never knowing but also being under no illusion that Theo may still be alive. They think there's a huge possibility, as heartbreaking as it is, that he is most likely deceased but they want to know how he died because they believe there is a whole lot more to this story. If he was indeed, murdered, then the perpetrator or perpetrators could still be out there right now.

In 2023, a diving instructor found what looked like a human bone in the location of Byron Bay where Theo was last known to be. It turned out that the bone belonged to another man who had sadly drowned there some time before.

As of 2026 there are no new leads in this case but it remains open and Theo's family continue to appeal for information. The $500,000 award for any significant details is still available. I do hope that one day soon, Theo's family are given the answers to the questions they have been asking all these years. It's such a heartbreaking story about a young man who had everything going for him.

If you are a regular reader of mine (thank you, I appreciate you so much!) you will be aware that I have written a few posts on backpackers in Australia, some have gone missing, vanished without a trace and some are horrifically murdered at the hands of a sadistic killer. Despite the terrifying stories, people still flock in their thousands, not just to Australia but to other parts of the world where horrific murders of backpackers have taken place. It is such a risky thing to do and that is in no way blaming the victims of these horrendous crimes. The blame is always on the monster who commits evil acts on innocent people. So many backpackers go abroad and have a fantastic time with no incident but if you are considering doing this yourself, please take heed in the horrible events of before and take steps to keep yourself extra safe and don't do it alone.

Further Reading & Sources:

- The Disappearance of Theo Hayez | NSW Police Website

- Theo Hayez: Article | The Guardian

- Theo Hayez: Article | ABC News

- Theo Hayez: Reddit Discussion Thread

- Theo Hayez | Wikipedia

- Theo Hayez: Inquest | State Coroner's Court Of New South Wales

- Looking For Theo: Facebook Page

- Theo Hayez: Documentary | 60 Minutes Australia

As always, thank you for joining me in another post, I hope you found it informative and that you will keep Theo and his family in your thoughts and prayers. Who knows? we might have some answers one day.

If you or someone you know has any information, no matter how small in relation to Theo, please check out the NSW website here!

Also, check out the Looking For Theo Instagram & Facebook page!

I hope you will join me in my next post, in the meantime, you can find me on my Socials, don't be afraid to say hello, I love interacting and having a right good 'blether' (Scottish term for chat).

Take care and stay safe until next time.....x

He disappeared into the night and has never been seen or heard from since.....What Happened?

(Corrie McKeague. Picture credits: Suffolk Police)

*Please be aware that some of the details that I share on this post may be very distressing. I have, as always, tried to be as sensitive as I can be with the details whilst not taking away from the facts of the case. If you would like to discuss this post with me or any of the cases I have covered on this blog, please email me at jocaledoniankitty@gmail.com*

Who remembers those crazy weekends where you would go out with your friends, go to as many nightclubs as you could, dance until your feet hurt, drank cocktails and Alcopops until you couldn't drink no more. Staggering to the nearest pizza place or McDonald's trying to look sober whilst you tried to make out the words on the menu to order. Finally eating your food like it was the first meal you'd had in ages. Waiting in the freezing cold night air as you waited for a taxi with your friends in a never ending queue. The next morning you'd wake up with a sore throat, last night's makeup still on, pounding headache and the thought of breakfast making you want to throw up aka hangover city, I remember it well.

You might not have had these types of experiences and preferred to do something else with your time but for those who remember those crazy days (or should I say, nights) it's something you don't forget. A lot of fun was to be had, growing up, enjoying yourself, letting your hair down on the dance floor, but there was also the embarrassing moments too. Moments when you thought it was a great idea to sing cheesy pop songs in the Ladies bathroom (you sounded terrible but everyone was too drunk to care and they actually joined in) or accidentally fall through a door whilst jumping around on stage to The Proclaimers 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles). Being the token Scottish person in the whole club (in England) you find yourself being the centre of attention as soon as that song plays (well I did). Suddenly you find that everyone wants to dance with you to that song.

Anyway, that's enough of me confessing my sins. This is a serious post and this introduction, whilst being all over the place (like my drunk dancing) is just a reminder that we've all done silly things in the past. It's all part of growing up.

For 23 year old Corrie McKeague it was just another typical Friday night on the 23rd of September 2016. He decided to go out with his friends in the small town of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. Corrie was originally from Scotland, born in Perth and raised in Fife, he never forgot his roots and was very close to his parents and family. From a young age people described him as being fun, outgoing with a big heart. From his early years right up to the age of 15 the majority of his younger childhood was described as a happy one but his parents split up when he was 10 and this deeply affected him. At the age of 15 he had the traumatic ordeal of finding his female friend deceased on a train line. It was later believed that these two significant events had a profound effect on Corrie and he'd never really dealt with the trauma which may have kicked off his binge drinking with alcohol in his late teens and and early twenties. Like I said before, it was just another Friday night, no different to his other nights out....so why did this night out end with Corrie McKeague vanishing into thin air, never to be seen again?

Corrie dabbled in hairdressing and teaching before deciding to join the Royal Air Force in 2013 where his role was of a RAF Regiment Gunner. At the time before his disappearance, he was taking a break to have a night out with friends who were also part of his regiment and like him, were stationed at the RAF Honington base.

Corrie, as well as being being talented he was handsome, with blonde hair and blue eyes, it was no surprise that this combination together with his role in the RAF, endeared him to women and men. Corrie was very open minded and although it doesn't matter about his personal relationships, I feel that it's important to mention that there was a lot of wild rumours going around at the time that this may have been a 'meet-up' with another man which had gone wrong. Corrie at the time was in a relationship with his girlfriend who also found out that she was pregnant with his child. He may have been open-minded with his sexuality and had been a member of various dating sites, but this in no way contributed to his reported death because it was later determined that he did not meet anyone else whilst in Bury St Edmunds.

That Friday night everything was going great, the drinks were flowing and Corrie was in good spirits. He was always the life and soul of the party up to a certain point. The trouble with Corrie, as much as he was an amazing young man, he would go too far with the drinking to the point that he could hardly walk in a straight line and things would get a bit rowdy. By the end of the night going into the wee small hours, it was clear that Corrie was intoxicated and he was told to leave a bar. For some reason his friends decided not to go with him and he staggered out to find somewhere to buy some food.

CCTV cameras recorded his movements as he left the takeaway, trying to walk, carrying his box of food in his hands and stopping every so often to eat a mouthful. His behaviour then turned even more strange. People who knew him would later say that Corrie would often get so intoxicated that he would fall asleep anywhere, on the street, in an alley way and in empty waste bins. He was recorded empty handed having discarded the food box and was seen acting bizarrely, one minute walking around and then standing looking around as if he was looking for someone or about to meet someone. At 3.25 am he was last recorded entering a cul-de-sac and from this point, there is nothing. He just vanished! He was soon reported missing when his friends noticed that he hadn't returned. At first they thought he had done his usual routine of falling asleep somewhere or he had possibly met someone. It soon became clear as time went on that there was something terribly wrong.

An investigation was immediately launched with the police and family of Corrie desperately seeking public information. There was posters up everywhere and regular news reports requesting the public's help with any information. It soon became apparent that investigators began to suspect that Corrie had accidentally crawled into one of the empty trash bins and fallen asleep. That same morning a bin lorry was due for a collection and it was believed, as they had examined phone records, that Corrie had fallen asleep in the bin and that the lorry had come and accidentally threw him into the rubbish truck where he was tragically crushed and suffocated to death. An examination and trace of his phone, which never left his side, had matched the step by step time and movements of the bin lorry.

Everyone was shocked and horrified by the details and the investigation soon switched to the Milton landfill in Cambridgeshire where the bin lorry was reportedly emptied. It was decided that as much of the landfill as possible was going to be searched. In the end, the search and investigation reached £2 million and still no trace of Corrie was ever found.

The whole tragic situation remained a complete mystery and theories of what really happened swirled continuously. The narrative that he was just a drunk guy who fell asleep in a bin flew around the media and on social media, understandably his parents and family were devastated and felt like Corrie was being disrespected and not being treated with dignity.

Fast forward to March of 2022, the inquest into what really happened to Corrie McKeague took place in Suffolk where he was officially declared deceased by his family and investigators. It is believed that he did climb inside a bin whilst intoxicated and had passed out. The bin lorry which was due to make collections that very morning reportedly took the bin that Corrie was still in, believing it to contain rubbish items and emptied it out into the back of the lorry. With these Lorries, they have a hydraulic lifting mechanism that actually picks up the bin and empties it out whilst the crushing device breaks down the contents. None of the refuse collectors would have been able to see or hear Corrie if he did shout out for help.

Since being declared legally deceased in 2022, there has been no further updates on this case. Corrie's remains have never been found. He just simply vanished into the night and it's heartbreaking that his family, his girlfriend and now, their child, has tried to have some closure but it will always be difficult because they do not have his remains to give him a proper funeral. It's such a heartbreaking story and I know some people will judge about the dangers of alcohol and getting oneself into a position where you're intoxicated to the point you can't think or walk straight. At the end of the day Corrie was someone's son, someone's brother, someone's father, partner and friend, he didn't deserve what happened to him.

At the inquest into Corrie's death it was revealed that Corrie and his father had a brief falling out shortly before he went missing. His father was very concerned about Corrie's binge-drinking and tried to give his son advice but Corrie was stubborn and thought he knew better. They managed to patch things up around the time of Corrie's birthday and had been in communication right up until the 23rd of September 2016.

Will he ever be found? This year (in September) it marks 10 years since he was first reported missing. I think that this is one of those sad cases, where, due to the circumstances, his remains may never been found due to the crushing of the lorry and how the contents of that lorry were disposed. It is deeply heartbreaking for the family and anyone who reads about the case or followed the news reports back then, couldn't help but feel sympathy.

RIP Corrie, you will never be forgotten.

I've always hoped that since the tragic death of Corrie, that young people (and older) would remember to be more responsible on nights out and with their alcohol intake. There's really no need to get so drunk that you don't know what you are doing. I find that quite scary to think that some people completely let go and end up passed out on the street and anything could happen to them.

With Corrie, it was obvious that the horrific experience of finding his friend deceased at the age of 15 had been so traumatic as anyone could imagine. It was a terrible experience for him at such a young age that was never really dealt with and this may have been why he tended to binge drink whenever the opportunity arose. They say that certain traumatic events in one's childhood, especially a death, can actually pause someone's psychological development. I know this from personal experience, through working with people who've been through traumatic events and personal events that have happened in my friends and loved one's lives. Such events at a young age when a young person's mind isn't fully able to comprehend such grief and trauma can have a harmful affect later on in life and it can result in addictive behaviours or anxiety.

Corrie did have some experience with depression, anxiety, and had spent some time on anti-depressants but was said to have (at least on the surface) come on leaps and bounds with his outlook on life and his dedication to his career in the RAF. In his personal life it was blooming and his social life was always busy. It appears that he may have buried his trauma so deeply that on any quiet moments when a possible flashback would pop up, he would try to soothe himself by drinking to forget. Who knows what really goes on in someone's mind but the fact is, that he was drinking to the point that he was ending up in situations where he was passing out in strange places, losing his money, his phone and belongings. People would tell him to be careful and he wouldn't listen, as if he never really took on the severity of the situation like being in denial. It's a heartbreaking story about a young man so full of promise who had the whole world at his feet. Who knows what could have been if he had been able to have the proper professional help to work towards overcoming the past trauma. It's sad that we will never know the light that he was so capable of shining if he had been given a proper chance at life, he was only 23.

Further Reading & Sources:

- Corrie McKeague | Suffolk Police

- Corrie McKeague: Article | BBC News

- Corrie McKeague: Article | The Independent

- Corrie McKeague: Article | BBC News

- Corrie McKeague: Article | Sky News

- Corrie McKeague: Article | The Guardian

RIP Corrie, your light may no longer shine here on earth but it shines in brightly forevermore in heaven and you will never be forgotten.

If you have made it this far in this post, as always, I appreciate your time with joining me in this story. I hope you will reflect on Corrie's story and maybe share it with a loved one who may need a little understanding about keeping safe on nights out with friends.

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I hope you will join me in my next post. Please stay safe. Until next time....x