Michael Tranter, 65, is campaigning to ensure that Lee Ford, who murdered his four children and ex-wife in 2000, never leaves prison. Ford, now 60, received five life sentences with a minimum tariff of 27 years and could be eligible for parole in October 2027.
The Haunting Question
Speaking on the podcast Key Witness: Aftermath, Tranter said: "The big question is why? Why my family? Why Lesley?" He added: "I'm anxious and I do get angry. I worry I'm going to lose my mind."
The Murders
In August 2000, Ford strangled his step-children Sarah Jane, 17, Anne Marie, 16, Steven, 14, and Craig, 13, with a rope at their home in Carnkie, Cornwall. He then bludgeoned his wife Lesley, 36, to death with a rounder bat. Ford hid the bodies in a woodshed, where they lay undiscovered for weeks. He attempted to cash Sarah's final wage packet from McDonald's and told neighbours Lesley had left him.
Investigation and Arrest
Tranter learned of the murders from the news: "The police rang me and it was just the case of, they've gone missing. But I knew something was up." Police later found the bodies after a farmer's tip. Ford was arrested before he could move the remains of Steven and Craig.
Ford's Guilty Plea
In May 2001, Ford pleaded guilty to five counts of murder at Bristol Crown Court. The court heard the killings were done precisely to leave little bruising. Ford said: "That my own hands have done what they have done to five people with a rope is a nightmare. I do not even understand why I did what I did."
Campaign for Justice
Tranter launched a petition that garnered over 40,000 signatures, urging the government to keep Ford behind bars. He said: "My aim is for the justice system to come out and do the right thing. By telling him he will never, ever come out."
Impact on Tranter
Tranter, from Telford, Shropshire, struggled with alcohol after the murders, drinking up to three bottles of brandy a day. He is now remarried and supported by his wife, but still fears losing his mind. He said: "I've got a lot of good people around me. But I still have my times where I worry."
Remembering His Family
Tranter recalled his children's interests: "I think me boys would be into the football. They used to go into school every day and talk about football with their mates - and the girls, they'd be out and about on the cricket pitch." He added: "Leslie was a fantastic mother. She did everything for the children."
