Kieron Kelly

Case identification

Kieron Kelly

Background

Kieron Kelly was an Irish native, born in 1928. He migrated to London at age 25, worked odd jobs, and spent most of his money on liquor while launching a one-man war against "poofters." He slaughtered an uncertain number of gays over the next three decades. At his arrest in 1983, he clearly recalled five victims.

The offence

Kieron Kelly murdered multiple victims across several years.

His first known victim was elderly panhandler Hector Fisher. Fisher was found in a Clapham churchyard on Christmas Day 1975, stabbed repeatedly about the head and neck. Fisher was last seen alive on Christmas Eve and had been loitering with several men dressed up as "Father Christmas."

On June 2, 1977, 68-year-old Maurice Weighly was found dead in Soho. His face and genitals were mutilated, and the neck of a broken bottle was thrust up his rectum.

In May 1983, an elderly panhandler was pushed onto the tracks at London’s Kensington Station and was saved when the driver managed to stop his train in time. Witnesses fingered Kelly in the attack.

At the time of his later incarceration, Kelly crushed the skull of inmate William Boyd. Kelly finished Boyd’s victim off with a garrote fashioned from stockings and shoelaces.

Days after the Kensington Station attack, an elderly transient was shoved beneath a train. Authorities confirmed a fatal "accident" at Oval Station on the date in question, but they had no firm corroborating evidence.

Investigation

Homicide investigators grilled a dozen suspects in the Hector Fisher case, including Kieron Kelly, and found no evidence that would support a murder charge.

When Kelly was arrested, his companion described the murder in grisly detail.

Under close interrogation later, Kelly confessed to five remembered slayings.

Arrest

In 1977, constables found Kelly and another transient in the neighborhood with bloodstains on their clothing. Kelly was charged with the murder. His companion described the crime in detail.

In May 1983, witnesses fingered Kelly in the Kensington Station attack, prompting his arrest on charges of attempted murder. Jurors failed to reach a verdict in his first trial.

By August 4, Kelly was back in jail, charged with robbery and public drunkenness.

Trial

Kelly was charged with Hector Fisher’s murder after the investigation found no evidence supporting a murder charge at that time.

Six months passed before Kelly’s murder trial on the Maurice Weighly case reached a verdict. Kelly was acquitted after his lawyer branded the state’s key witness an alcoholic, "blind drunk" at the time of the murder. The witness subsequently vanished and was never seen again. In 1983, Kieron Kelly confessed to his murder.

In the Kensington Station attempted murder case, jurors failed to reach a verdict in his first trial, and he was acquitted the second time around.

Convicted of the Fisher homicide in June 1984.

Sentencing

In June 1984, Kelly was convicted of the Fisher homicide and sentenced to life imprisonment.

A few days later, he received an identical term for William Boyd’s murder.

Appeals

No appeals were stated.

Outcome

Kelly was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1984.

Aftermath

A few days after the life sentence, Kelly left the courtroom with a cheerful "Happy Christmas to you all!"

Michael Newton - An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers listed the disposition as: Life term on one count, 1984.

Other details

Kelly was homophobic, and the case involved mutilation. The motive was described as PC-extremist, and the modus operandi was described as homophobobic slayer of gay males. His motive was also described as motive unknown. His modus operandi was also described as homophobobic slayer of gay males. Kelly’s companion described the crime in grisly detail. Kelly confessed to five remembered slayings under close interrogation. Kelly had previously received protection from further charges in the Maurice Weighly case due to his previous acquittal. Other victims included the missing witness from his first murder trial and an elderly transient shoved beneath a train days after the Kensington Station attack.