Twenty-seven years after the brutal attack on Lin, Megan and Josie Russell in a country lane in Kent, a new documentary series revisits the case. The three-part programme, titled The Russell Murders: Who Killed Lin and Megan?, promises a definitive account of the horrific events of July 1996 and the subsequent police investigation. However, notably absent from the interviews are members of the Russell family themselves.
The documentary features an interview with Michael Stone, who was convicted of murdering Lin Russell, 45, and her six-year-old daughter Megan, and attempting to murder Josie, then aged nine. Stone has served 25 years of a life sentence but is launching a fresh attempt to clear his name. Earlier this year, serial killer Levi Bellfield signed a statement claiming responsibility for the killings, though he has previously confessed and retracted. In July, the Criminal Case Review Commission said there was no real possibility that Stone's conviction would be overturned.
The first episode examines the afternoon of 9 July 1996, when Lin Russell collected her daughters from primary school after a swimming gala. They walked home along a remote country path with the family dog but never arrived. Her husband Shaun reported them missing. Retired police officer Richard Leivers, who was called to the scene, recalls finding what he thought were three dead people. He noticed Josie was still alive and carried her away. “I’ve suffered for it, mentally,” he says, visibly shaken.
Other experts share their testimonies, including the neurosurgeon who operated on Josie and the former head of forensic investigations at Kent Police. Journalists from the era also recall their role in covering the story, with one admitting the murders were guaranteed front-page news. The documentary largely avoids sensationalism, focusing on the sobering details of the case and its lasting impact on those involved.
