Understand
Memorial marks 40 years since murders of Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows in Brighton
Overview
Families and friends have gathered in Brighton to mark the 40th anniversary of the murders of nine-year-old girls Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows. The children disappeared while playing on the Moulsecoomb estate on 9 October 1986, and their bodies were found in Wild Park the following day. Russell Bishop was initially acquitted in 1987, but was later convicted of their murders in 2018 following advances in DNA testing. Bishop died in prison in 2022.
Key points
- Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows were murdered in Brighton 40 years ago after disappearing on 9 October 1986.
- A memorial event in Wild Park marked the anniversary, featuring the decoration of a tree traditionally used by the families for tributes.
- Russell Bishop was initially found not guilty in 1987, but was convicted of the murders in 2018 following new DNA evidence.
- Bishop died in prison in 2022 at the age of 55.