A chilling new investigation suggests that Steve Wright, the notorious 'Suffolk Strangler', could be responsible for five more murders in the United Kingdom, with his maritime career providing a perfect cover for his alleged crimes. Retired police intelligence officer Chris Clark, who has spent years probing Wright's activities, asserts that the killer's work on ferries and ships allowed him to travel extensively and evade detection.
Maritime Career as a Facade for Violence
According to Mr Clark, Wright's employment history, which included roles on North Sea ferries from Felixstowe and aboard the QE2 from Southampton, granted him unparalleled opportunities to commit murders and flee before bodies were discovered. "Normally serial killers don't go three years between victims," Clark explained. "The nature of his shore leave would give him the opportunity to commit a murder and then sail away before the body is discovered." This pattern, he argues, indicates that Wright may have started killing much younger than his conviction for the Ipswich murders at age 48.
Potential Victims Identified in UK Cases
Clark's research points to several unsolved cases that align with Wright's known methods, particularly strangulation. The victims include:
- Jeannette Kempton, 32, strangled near Southwold, Suffolk, in 1989.
- Natalie Pearman, 16, who died of asphyxia in Norwich in 1992.
- Amanda Duncan, 26, missing from Ipswich since 1993.
- Kellie Pratt, 28, last seen in Norwich in 2000.
- Michelle Bettles, 22, strangled in 2002.
Clark describes Jeannette Kempton's case as one that "ticks all the boxes", matching Wright's method, motive, and opportunity. Notably, several of these women were sex workers operating near pubs associated with Wright, such as the Ferry Boat Inn in Norwich.
Psychological Profile and Upcoming Book
Clark portrays Wright as a controlling and volatile figure, possibly influenced by a troubled upbringing involving domestic violence. "He can be very calm and then suddenly explode," Clark noted, suggesting underlying stress disorders. These insights will be detailed in Clark's forthcoming book, Serial killer: Inside the mind of Steve Wright: the Suffolk Strangler, co-authored with Tim Hicks, which aims to shed light on Wright's psyche and potential undiscovered crimes.
The investigation underscores ongoing concerns about cold cases in the UK and the complex challenges in linking historical crimes to known offenders. As Clark continues his inquiries, the families of the missing and murdered await answers, hoping for closure in these tragic cases.
