- Michael Stone case review
- Possible confession by Bellfield
- Continued legal scrutiny
A review is warranted of the convictions of Michael Stone in connection with the homicides of Lin Russell and her daughter Megan.
Three months after a prior review rejected the case for referral to the Court of Appeal, the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) will now reexamine the evidence.
The decision is subsequent to reports that serial murderer Levi Bellfield, who is believed to have confessed to the crimes, has claimed schoolgirl Milly Dowler among his victims.
Stone is currently carrying out three life sentences.
The CCRC released a statement stating that “previous reviews found no credible evidence or argument that raised a real possibility of the convictions being quashed, these conclusions are not affected by the new review.”
“Start your investing journey with a gift! Claim your free Webull shares.”
In July 1996, Ms. Russell, 45, and her six-year-old daughter were found murdered in Chillenden, Kent.
A few months prior, they had relocated from Gwynedd, North Wales, to the vicinity.
Stone has consistently maintained his innocence regarding the murders and the attempted homicide of Josie, the sibling of Megan.
The CCRC declared in July that the Court of Appeal had “no real possibility” of overturning his convictions.
A CCRC official responded to the latest application: “We granted Mr. Stone’s representatives’ request for an extra review.
“Although we are unable to provide commentary on the particulars of an inquiry, it is customary for diverse evaluations to emphasise distinct arguments or pieces of evidence.
“Our commitment to thoroughly investigate all eligible applications extends to undertaking additional work related to cases we have previously reviewed.”
“Additional forensic examinations”
Stone’s attorney, Paul Bacon, told the CCRC in writing that he will seek judicial review.
Remarkably, they replied that they had made the decision to conduct an additional review.” “They have specifically indicated that they will conduct additional forensic tests, which is vital information for us,” he told.
The evaluation, according to Mr. Bacon, will “take some time.”
“While Mr. Bellfield has admitted it over and over again, I think truthfully, the only real decision will come if a DNA profile of him or somebody else is found among the items that are still yet to be properly tested.”
Bellfield, who is serving two life sentences, admitted to murdering Ms. Russell and Megan a year ago before recanting.
Stone’s solicitors asserted in April that Bellfield had composed and affixed his signature to a new confession.
2003 saw the conviction of Bellfield for the murder of Marsha McDonnell, age 19. He was also convicted of murdering 22-year-old Amelie Delagrange and attempted murdering 18-year-old Kate Sheedy in 2004.
Subsequently, he was indicted for the homicide of Milly Dowler, an individual who was abducted from the street in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002, as she rode home from school.
The Old Bailey trial in 2011 resulted in Bellfield’s conviction for the abduction and homicide of the 13-year-old.
