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Notorious Child Killer Ian Huntley Dies After Brutal Prison Attack | Crime House 24/7
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- [00:02]
Vanessa Richardson
Hi, it's Vanessa. If you're drawn to true crime stories about disappearances, there's a new Crime House
- [00:07]
Crime House Narrator
original you should check out.
- [00:09]
Vanessa Richardson
It's called the Final Hours, hosted by Sarah Turney and Courtney Nicole. Sarah's an advocate for missing and murdered victims whose own sister disappeared in 2001. And Courtney is a true crime storyteller who's seen firsthand how crime can change a family forever. Together, they bring lived experience to every case, examining the moments just before a person disappears. The routines, the timelines, the small details that often get overlooked because every disappearance has a moment where everything still feels normal until it doesn't. Listen to and follow the final hours on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or
- [00:49]
Crime House Narrator
wherever you get your podcasts.
- [00:50]
Vanessa Richardson
New episodes drop every Monday.
- [00:53]
Crime House Narrator
Foreign.
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Crime House Intro Voice
This is Crime House.
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Crime House Narrator
Good morning everyone. We have multiple breaking true crime cases this morning that you need to know about and we're starting with the biggest one. Ian Huntley, the man who murdered 10 year old best friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in one of Britain's most infamous crimes, has died after a brutal attack inside a maximum security prison. This is crime house 24 7, your non stop source for the biggest crime cases developing right now. Make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Vanessa Richardson and we have quite a lineup for you today. Here's what you need to know. Ian Huntley, the former school caretaker who murdered 10 year old best friends Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in one of the most shocking crimes in modern British history, died the morning of March 8, more than a week after being attacked by another inmate inside a maximum security prison. 52 year old Huntley had been on life support at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary since the attack on February 26th at HMP Franklin, a high security prison that houses some of Britain's most dangerous offenders in County Durham, England. His life support was switched off on March 6 after brain tests showed he was in a vegetative state with no prospect of recovery. He was confirmed dead March 8. Durham Constabulary said a police investigation into the incident is ongoing and that a file is being prepared for the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration of charges. On August 4, 2002, Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman vanished from the village of Soham in Cambridgeshire, England, after leaving a family barbecue to buy candy. The two best friends were wearing red Manchester United shirts. A photograph of the pair together in their matching shirts became one of the most recognizable images in British criminal history. For 13 days, police conducted a massive search, holding out hope the girls might still be alive. Thousands of people traveled to Soham in an enormous outpouring of concern, leaving hundreds of bouquets outside the local church. During the search, Huntley, who was the caretaker at a nearby school, Soham Village Cottage, spoke to reporters and told them he believed he was one of the last people the girls alive. His then girlfriend, Maxine Carr, who was a teaching assistant at Holly and Jessica's primary school, told the media she would always keep a card Holly had drawn for her. Suspicions grew when investigators noticed Huntley appeared to take an unusual interest in the case. The girl's bodies were found on Aug. 17, 2002, in an irrigation ditch near RAF Laken Heath in Suffolk, approximately 12 miles from Soham. Investigators believe Huntley, then 28 years old, lured them into his home home and killed them, most likely by asphyxiation. He later returned and cut their clothing off to burn it. The charred remains of their red Manchester United shirts were found in a bin by police in the days after Holly and Jessica were found, so Hum became the center of national mourning. Thousands of people traveled to the small Cambridgeshire village to pay their respects, filling the churchyard with flowers, candles and stuffed animals. Huntley was arrested and initially denied responsibility for the murders at tr. Meanwhile, however, he offered a different explanation for what happened inside his home. He claimed Holly suffered a sudden nosebleed and drowned accidentally in his bathtub, and that he then killed Jessica while trying to silence her screams and prevent her from raising any alarm. Jurors rejected that account. On December 17, 2003, Huntley was convicted of both murders at the Old Bailey in London and sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment. In 2005, a High Court judge set a minimum term, 40 years, meaning he would not have been eligible for parole until 2042. As for his girlfriend at the time, she was found guilty of conspiring to pervert the course of justice for providing Huntley with a false alibi. Carr served 21 months and now lives under a new identity. In the years that followed, it was revealed that Huntley had been the subject of multiple prior complaints of sexual assault and other sexual offenses before he was hired as a school caretaker. Complaints never properly shared between agencies. This led to the bishard inquiry in 2004, which resulted in sweeping reforms to police vetting and the creation of a national police database combining intelligence from 43 forces across England and Wales. Inside prison, Huntley was repeatedly targeted. In 2005, a convicted murderer threw boiling water on him at HMP Wakefield. In 2010, another inmate slashed his throat with a homemade weapon at HMP Franklin. Leaving a 7 inch wound wound that required 21 stitches. He was kept under close protection alongside other high profile prisoners. The February 26th attack was reportedly carried out by Anthony Russell, a 43 year old triple murderer serving a whole life order for the 2021 killings of 58 year old Julie Williams, her 32 year old son David Williams and pregnant 31 year old Nicole McGregor. British media have also reported that tensions had risen against Huntley after he wore a Manchester United shir resembling those worn by the girls at the time of their disappearance, which caused friction with other inmates. And while that story closes a painful chapter in one of Britain's most notorious cases, here in the United States a Florida man is finally going to trial after being accused of trying to strangle and drown his girlfriend during a boating event. 26 year old Cole Preston Goldberg is standing trial on March 9th in Palm Beach county on a charge of attempted second degree murder for what prosecutors say was a violent attack on his then girlfriend, 32 year old Carolyn Schwitzky, during a popular boating event in South Florida nearly four years ago. Schwitzky, a Miami based talent agent and founder of the agency Urge Talent, also appeared on the 2016 season of TLC's 90 Day Fiance Happily Ever After. The attack occurred on April 24, 2022 during Boca Bash, a massive annual boating gathering that draws hundreds of vessels to Lake Boca Raton, where boats anchor side by side and thousands of people swim between them. According to the arrest report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the couple had been dating for approximately one year and got into a heated argument while aboard a boat at the event. The multiple witnesses told investigators that the argument escalated and that Goldberg became physically aggressive, grabbing Schwitzky and preventing her from leaving the boat. Witnesses said this went on for approximately 20 minutes with Schwitzky punching at his arms, trying to free herself. She eventually managed to jump off the boat and attempted to swim to a nearby vessel for safety, but Goldberg followed her into the water. According to the police report, he caught up to her and grabbed her by the throat with the with both hands, attempting to strangle her while holding her underwater. Witnesses screamed at him to stop, but he appeared unresponsive and kept holding her under. Several people jumped into the water to pull Schwitzky away from him. They managed to get her onto their boat, while another witness used a boat pole to keep Goldberg from climbing aboard. Other boats in the area also refused to let Goldberg on board and someone called 911 while he clung to the side of a vessel. Officers with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission who were patrolling the waters for the crowded event were waved down and responded. Goldberg was pulled from the water and taken into custody. He was initially charged with attempted first degree murder and battery. Meanwhile, Schwitzky sustained bruises to her arms and legs. She was also arrested at the scene on an unrelated warrant from another county and released the same day on a $1,000 bond. Goldberg was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail and released on a $60,000 bond. A judge issued a no contact order barring him from contacting Schwitzky or any witnesses. More than a year after the incident, the charges against Goldberg were adjusted to attempted second degree murder. Prosecutors offered him a plea agreement that would have required six months in jail, three years of probation and a 500 word letter of apology. Goldberg turned it down, saying he would not accept a plea to a felony. Goldberg has opted for a bench trial, meaning a judge rather than a jury will be solely responsible for deciding his fate. The trial is now underway in Palm Beach County. If convicted of attempted second degree murder, he faces a significant prison sentence. And from a trial that's beginning to a case that has left a Bronx community in mourning. A mother of three was stabbed to death in front of her children by her boyfriend.
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Crime House Narrator
Juan Rivas appeared in Bronx criminal court on March 5th pleading not guilty to charges including second degree murder, manslaughter, attempted murder and endangering the welfare of a child in the stabbing death of his girlfriend, 42 year old Yasenia Hall. The attack occurred in the early morning of Feb. 28 inside the family's apartment at 956 Sherman Ave. In the concourse Village section of the Bronx. According to prosecutors, three children were inside the home. Paul's 16 year old son heard his mother screaming and ran to the bedroom where he found Rivas with a knife. Hall was stabbed in the neck, back and torso. The brave teen tried to intervene and de escalate the situation, but Rivas turned the knife on him, stabbing him multiple times in the neck, cheek and shoulder. Hall's 22 year old daughter, Jayla Maldonado, who also witnessed the attack, called 91 1. A 12 year old son remained in his bedroom during the violence. Both hall and her son were rushed to Lincoln Hospital. Hall was pronounced dead. Her son survived and is expected to recover, though the wound to his neck has left him temporarily unable to speak. Rivas fled the scene wearing a construction vest but was taken into custody several hours later after he turned up at a local hospital seeking treatment for his own injuries. His right hand was bandaged at the wrist and palm when he appeared in court. Prosecutors told the court that police had responded to five prior violent incidents between Rivas and Hall, including arrests for assault in 2011, 2012 and 2018 and a 2022 arrest for punching her in the face. Rivas also has a prior violent felony conviction and six prior arrests over the past decade, mostly on assault charges. Relatives said the couple had been together for approximately five years. Hall's brother, Edwin Maldonado, a commercial airline pilot and retired army officer, told reporters that the family had long been concerned about the relationship. A neighbor told New York Post she heard Rivas yell that he was going to stab Hall. A judge ordered Rivas held without bail at Rikers Island. The case has been adjourned until April 20th. Jayla wrote on a GoFundMe page that her mother's last words were, quote, I'm sorry, I'm dying. I'm sorry. End quote. Family members described hall as a loving and energetic mother and asked that she be remembered for those qualities rather than the violence that took her life. From that case in the Bronx, we move west to Los Angeles where police say a woman fired multiple shots at the Beverly Hills home of singer Rihanna on March 9th. Los Angeles police identified 35 year old Ivana Lizette Ortiz as the woman arrested after gunfire erupted outside the Beverly Hills home of nine time Grammy winner Rihanna the day before. Ortiz has been booked on suspicion of attempted murder and jail records show her bail has been set at $10,225,000. Authorities say the shooting occurred on March 8 at approximately 1:15pm Pacific Time when officers responded to reports of gunfire outside the singer's home. According to police and radio dispatch audio, the suspect drove up in a white Tesla parked across the street from the property's front gate and fired seven to 10 rounds from what Investig described as an AR15 style rifle. Several bullets struck the exterior gate, the outside wall of the residence and a vehicle parked outside the home. At least two neighboring homes were also hit by gunfire, though no injuries were reported. Police tracked the suspect's vehicle with the help of an LAPD helicopter following it roughly eight miles to the Sherman Oaks Galleria Shopping center, where officers conducted a traffic stop and took Ortiz into custody without incident. Investigators say seven rifle casings and the weapon believed to have been used in the shooting were recovered at the scene. Public records link Ortiz to Florida, where a woman with the same name is listed in state licensing records as a speech language pathology assistant. Authorities say Ortiz also has prior arrests linked to Florida. In June 2023, she was arrested after a confrontation with her former husband, Jed Sangalang, during a child custody exchange outside her apartment. According to an Orlando police affidavit. Ortiz had texted Sangalang beforehand, saying, you'll be socked on the nose tonight. Officers later determined she was the primary aggressor and arrested her on suspicion of domestic battery. The Beverly Hills property targeted in the shootings belongs to Rihanna, whose legal name is Robin Rihanna Fenty. She lives there with her partner, rapper ASAP Rocky, and their three young children. Their youngest child was born just over five months ago. Authorities have confirmed that Rihanna was inside the home at the time of the shooting, though it remains unclear whether A$AP Rocky or the couple's children were also present. Investigators are still working to determine whether Ortiz intentionally targeted the residents or whether the property was selected for another reason.
- [17:13]
Vanessa Richardson
If you're drawn to true crime stories about disappearances, there's a new crime house
- [17:18]
Crime House Narrator
show for you to check out out.
- [17:19]
Vanessa Richardson
It's the new Crime House original series the Final Hours, hosted by Sarah Turney and Courtney Nicole. Sarah is an advocate for missing and murdered victims whose own sister disappeared in 2001. And Courtney is a true crime storyteller and investigator who witnessed firsthand how crime
- [17:37]
Crime House Narrator
can change a family forever.
- [17:39]
Vanessa Richardson
Together, they bring lived experience to every case, looking not only at what happened,
- [17:43]
Crime House Narrator
but what led up to it.
- [17:45]
Vanessa Richardson
Each episode examines the moments just before a person disappears, the routines, the timelines and the small details that often get overlooked because every disappearance has a moment where everything still feels normal. A text that doesn't raise concern. A routine that goes unchanged, a door
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Crime House Narrator
that closes just like it always has.
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Vanessa Richardson
Until it doesn't. The final hours puts those those moments under a microscope. Because when it comes to justice, there's no such thing as overanalyzing. Listen to and follow the final hours on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen. New episodes every Monday.
- [18:29]
Crime House Narrator
Before you go, let me tell you what else is happening at Crime House Today on Crimes of we examine the story of Rudy Kurniawan, a man who convinced some of the wealthiest wine collectors in the world that he possessed rare and extreme extraordinary bottles worth millions. He cultivated the image of a prodigy, a savant with a refined pallet and access to legendary vintages. For years, auction houses, connoisseurs, and billionaires accepted his authority. The wine was fake. What makes cases like this compelling is not just the money involved, it's the mechanism. The fraud did not rely on brute force or overt manipulation. It relied on performance, on credentials, on the illusion of mastery. Fake expertise is one of the most powerful tools in deception. When someone convincingly performs knowledge, the audience often stops asking questions. The trappings of authority Jargon, Confidence. Social proof. Selective access Create a shield. Here are five major frauds, built not merely on lies but on carefully constructed reputations of expertise that turned out to be illusions. Number one Elizabeth Holmes the Visionary who Was Not Elizabeth Holmes founded Theranos with a bold promise to revolutionize blood testing with a device that could run hundreds of diagnostic tests from a single drop of blood. She adopted the uniform of Silicon Valley genius black turtlenecks, minimalist messaging, and an unwavering belief in disruption. She spoke fluently about biotechnology, precision medicine, and democratizing health care. High profile investors, including former secretaries of state and military leaders, joined her board. Media outlets celebrated her as the next great innovator. Behind the scenes, the technology did not work as advertised. Investigations revealed that Theranos relied on traditional machines for most tests, while presenting its proprietary device as fully functional. Internal whistleblowers described systemic deception and pressure to conceal failures. Holmes authority was built less on proven scientific scientific success and more on projected brilliance. The image of expertise preceded the evidence. When the company collapsed and Holmes was later convicted of fraud, it exposed how thoroughly performance can substitute for verification, especially when audiences are predisposed to believe in visionary narratives. Number two John Darcy the fabricated researcher in the early 1980s, John Darcy was a promising young cardiology researcher affiliated with Harvard Medical School School. He published prolifically and earned praise for groundbreaking work in heart disease. His productivity was so extraordinary that Colleagues began to question how he could generate results at such speed. Eventually, investigators discovered that Darcy had fabricated data in multiple research papers. Entire experiments had been invented. Results were manipulated or wholly fictitious. The damage extended beyond his own career. Other scientists had relied on his findings. Academic journals had published his work. Prestigious institutions had endorsed him. Darcy's fraud succeeded initially because of institutional trust. His affiliation with elite organizations created a presumption of competence. The culture of academia, which values publication and innovation, provided cover for exaggerated productivity. His case demonstrated that expertise this once institutionally validated, can shield deception until anomalies become impossible to ignore. Number three. Frank Abagnale Jr. The imposter professional. Before becoming a security consultant, Frank Abagnale Jr. Built his reputation on impersonation. In the 1960s, he posed as a commercial airline pilot, a physician and a lawyer. He forged checks and exploited systems that relied heavily on credentials and uniforms as proof of legitimacy. Abagnale's success did not stem from deep technical knowledge. It stemmed from understanding how institutions authenticate authority. A uniform, an ID badge and confident language were often sufficient to bypass scrutiny. He exploited assumptions airline staff deferred to pilots, hospital personnel deferred to doctors, law firms deferred to attorneys. Although Abagnale's story has been dramatized in film and media, court records confirm that he successfully deceived multiple institutions before his arrest. His case illustrates how perceived expertise can operate independently of actual competence. The performance of authority often precedes verification of it. Number four. Han von Meegeren, the art forger who fooled Experts. In the 1930s and 1940s, Dutch painter Han von Meegeren forged paintings in the style of Johann Vermeer and other Old Masters. He did not simply imitate their brushstrokes. He studied chemical compositions, canvas aging techniques and historical context to produce works that experts authenticated as genuine. Prominent art historians and museums endorsed the paintings. Wealthy collectors paid enormous sums. After World War II, Van Meegeren was arrested for selling a forged Vermeer to a Nazi official to avoid charges of treason for selling national heritage. He confessed that the painting was fake and demonstrated his method in court. The art establishment had been fooled not by ignorance but by overconfidence. In connoisseurship. Experts believed they could identify authenticity through stylistic analysis. Van Meen exploited that belief. The case revealed that expertise can become vulnerable when it relies on subjective evaluation rather than rigorous testing. The more prestigious the gatekeepers, the less likely they were to imagine. Imagine being deceived. Number five. Clark Rockefeller. The manufactured aristocrat. Christian Gerhardt Strider reinvented himself as Clark Rockefeller. Claiming membership in the famous American industrial family, he embedded himself in elite social circles, married into wealth, and cultivated an aura of education and global sophistication. He spoke with authority about finance, art, and history. He implied connections to powerful institutions. For years, those around him accepted his Persona without verifying its Foundation. In 2008, after abducting his daughter during a custody dispute, his true identity unraveled. Investigations revealed that he had constructed his entire biography. Gerhardt Strider's deception thrived because of social signaling. Wealth and exclusivity often discourage intrusive questions. His assumed expertise in finance and art was rarely tested because his identity itself was taken as evidence. The fraud underscores how environments built on status can become especially vulnerable to fabricated authority. Why Fake Expertise Works Frauds built on fake expertise exploit a fundamental human shortcut. People rely on signals of authority to navigate complexity. In medicine, science, finance, and art, it's impractical to verify Verify every claim independently. Credentials, reputation, and social validation function as proxies for truth. When someone convincingly performs expertise, those proxies activate automatically. Confidence reinforces perception. Jargon signals competence. Institutional affiliations discourage doubt. When others appear convinced, skepticism diminishes further. These dynamics are particularly potent in elite environments. Wealthy collectors, venture capitalists, and academic institutions often operate within networks of mutual validation. If one respected figure endorses a supposed expert, others follow. The deception persists until hard evidence contradicts the narrative. Rudi Kurniawan did not invent wine. He invented authority. He cultivated a Persona of extraordinary taste and access. He was relied on the prestige of auction houses and the confidence of collectors. By the time doubts surfaced, millions of dollars had changed hands. For the full examination of how one man built a counterfeit empire in the world of rare wine, listen to today's episode of Crimes of Because sometimes the most convincing lie is not about the product, it's about the person selling it. You've been listening to crime house 24 7, bringing you breaking crime news. I'm Vanessa Richardson. Richardson will be back tomorrow morning with more developing stories. Stay safe, and thanks for listening. Hi, it's Vanessa.
- [27:53]
Vanessa Richardson
If you're drawn to true crime stories about disappearances, check out the new Crime House original the Final Hours, hosted by Sarah Turney and Courtney Nicole. Listen to and follow the final hours on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or
- [28:08]
Crime House Narrator
wherever you get your podcasts.
- [28:09]
Vanessa Richardson
New episodes drop every Monday.