WARNING DISTRESSING CONTENT: Stephen Shaun Griffiths murdered three ladies utilizing a crossbow and knife, earlier than dismembering and consuming elements of their our bodies.
Stephen Griffiths believed he would develop into a killer at some point (Picture: undefined)
In a real-life nightmare drawn straight from the darkest depths of depravity, a serial killer slaughtered a minimum of three ladies utilizing a strong crossbow and a razor-sharp knife to dismember his victims earlier than consuming elements of their our bodies.
Born in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, on Christmas Eve in 1969, Stephen Shaun Griffiths appeared to guide an strange life in his early life.
He, his father (a frozen meals salesman), mom Moira, youthful brother and sister resided within the Thornhill space of Dewsbury, however following his mother and father’ separation, he relocated to a council property in Wakefield.
He went on to safe a spot on the prestigious £9,000-a-year Queen Elizabeth Grammar Faculty – infamous alumni embody John Haigh, the Acid Tub Assassin.
Subsequently, he was nicely on his technique to acquiring a PhD in criminology – extensively researching serial killers comparable to Jack the Ripper and the Yorkshire Ripper – till he made the chilling choice to develop into one himself.
Often known as a loner, he was regularly noticed strolling his pet lizards on leads and had a well-documented historical past of psychological well being difficulties, stories the Day by day Star.
Serial killer Stephen Griffiths dedicated unimaginable crimes (Picture: AFP/Getty Photographs)
Griffiths’ violent tendencies had been evident from an early age – in his late teenagers, he obtained a three-year sentence for slashing the throat of a safety guard who apprehended him shoplifting.
A number of years later, he as soon as once more discovered himself behind bars after holding a knife to a younger lady’s throat for no discernible motive.
Throughout his time in jail, he spent intervals on the high-security Rampton Hospital, the place he was identified as a “sadistic, schizoid psychopath” in 1991, in accordance with The Telegraph. Griffiths’ psychiatric report revealed he harboured a “preoccupation with homicide – notably a number of homicide” and he himself was satisfied he would ultimately develop into a killer.
The horrific crimes of the ‘Crossbow Cannibal’
On Might 24, 2010, Griffiths was arrested and charged with the murders of three ladies – killings he carried out in essentially the most sickeningly barbaric method conceivable.
Suzanne Blamires, 36, was the Crossbow Cannibal’s third sufferer (Picture: West Yorkshire Police/PA Wire)
Charged with the murders of Suzanne Blamires, 36, Shelley Armitage, 31, and Susan Rushworth, 43, Griffiths was caught after a caretaker at his residential block uncovered disturbing CCTV footage displaying Blamires desperately fleeing his flat with Griffiths in pursuit, armed with a crossbow.
The killer was subsequently filmed knocking her unconscious and hauling her by the leg again inside his residence. The wicked particular person then leered instantly into the CCTV digicam earlier than making an obscene gesture.
A number of days later, having been alerted by the caretaker to the surveillance footage, officers raided his flat – however by that time, Griffiths had already murdered Suzanne and disposed of her stays.
He resided on the third ground of a block of flats at Holmfield Court docket in Bradford, a transformed mill constructing situated near town’s red-light district, and all three of his victims had been ladies who had entered the intercourse commerce because of troublesome circumstances.
Adam Twigg, one of many West Yorkshire Police tactical operatives who raided Griffiths’ premises, revealed he found the assassin seated on his mattress and following the studying of his rights, Griffiths responded: “I am Osama bin Laden.”
Shelley Armitage was murdered on the younger age of 31 and was Griffiths’ second sufferer (Picture: rossparry.co.uk/syndication)
Twigg and his fellow officers subsequently tried to seek out Suzanne, saying in The Crossbow Cannibal Prime Video documentary: “There was a large portion of a mind within the microwave.
“And there was one other portion of mind on a plate, on a espresso desk within the entrance room, subsequent to a pair of amputated breasts.”
Following his arrest, Griffiths reportedly informed officers: “I’ve killed masses.”
In harrowing particulars of the killing which emerged subsequently, 81 items of Suzanne’s physique had been stated to have been recovered in or close to the River Aire, located near Griffiths’ residence.
Suzanne was actually the wicked particular person’s third sufferer.
Crossbows of serial killer Stephen Griffiths who calls himself ‘The Crossbow Cannibal’ (Picture: PA)
He was moreover answerable for the killing of Shelley Armitage, who was reported lacking a month prior, in April 2010. Armitage had been shot with Griffiths’ crossbow and parts of her dismembered stays had been consumed by him.
Footage recovered from the serial killer’s cell phone later depicted Armitage’s physique mendacity in his bathtub, with the phrases ‘My intercourse slave’ spray-painted on her again.
Susan Rushworth vanished in June 2009 and was killed with a hammer. Griffiths reportedly utilised machine instruments to dismember her earlier than consuming elements of her flesh.
Whereas some human tissue belonging to Armitage was additionally found within the River Aire, Rushworth’s stays have by no means been discovered, even after her household’s agonising appeals to Griffiths to reveal their whereabouts so they may give her a correct farewell and discover closure.
On December 21, 2010, Stephen Griffiths was convicted of all three murders after pleading responsible, receiving a life imprisonment sentence with a complete life order – which means he’s prone to spend the rest of his life behind bars. He gave himself the identify ‘The Crossbow Cannibal’ at his first listening to.
His crimes have left the world shocked and terrified (Picture: pixel8000)
Choose Mr Justice Openshaw informed the court docket: “The circumstances of those murders are so depraved and monstrous they go away me in little doubt the defendant needs to be saved in jail for the remainder of his life.”
Inside his violent life in jail
Griffiths has allegedly endured brutal ordeals throughout his time in jail, and has repeatedly cheated loss of life.
Whereas incarcerated, the killer has tried to take his personal life on a number of events. In 2011, he launched into a 120-day starvation strike, throughout which he shunned all human contact.
In 2019, he apparently narrowly escaped loss of life following a stabbing to the chest whereas behind bars. He was left with a “giant puncture wound” after a fellow inmate attacked him utilizing a picket spear.
In a newer incident, in November 2024, he was reportedly “knocked unconscious” by a single punch. The attacker was reportedly a buddy of the murdered Suzanne Blamires.
The day’s greatest headlines in UK and World information and extra Subscribe Invalid electronic mail
We use your sign-up to offer content material in methods you’ve got consented to and to enhance our understanding of you. This will likely embody adverts from us and third events primarily based on our understanding. You’ll be able to unsubscribe at any time. Learn our Privateness Coverage
Now in his late-50s, the triple assassin was allegedly subjected to one more assault on Valentine’s Day in 2025. It’s claimed that he lashed out at a fellow inmate inside HMP Full Sutton, an incident which left him “too scared to depart his cell”.
Since his conviction greater than 15 years in the past, he’ll spend the remainder of his days behind bars.
Leave a Reply