Morbid Podcast

Dennis Nilsen: The Kindly Killer (Part 2)

Hosts: Ash Kelley & Alaina Urquhart
Date: February 9, 2026

Episode Overview

In the second installment of their three-part series on Dennis Nilsen, “The Kindly Killer,” Ash and Alaina deep-dive into the chilling escalation of Nilsen's crimes. They chart his transition from the early murders committed in his Melrose Avenue flat to the increasingly erratic and disturbing acts in his later years—interweaving profound insights, survivor stories, and their signature blend of dark humor and empathy. This episode explores the police inaction, the marginalized status of many of Nilsen’s victims, and the psychology behind his need for control—all leading up to the events that would ultimately bring his spree to an end.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Catch-Up and Context (01:15–08:11)

• The episode opens with lighthearted banter, COVID warnings, and book talk before making a sharp transition into the gruesome material.
• Quote: [09:07] Alaina: "We left you with Dennis beginning his killing spree... He had shown necrophilic tendencies as well. He likes to keep his victims around after they're deceased for a while under the floorboards."

2. The Andrew Ho Incident & Police Inaction (10:10–14:46)

• Incident: Shortly after murdering Stephen Holmes, Nilsen meets Andrew Ho, a Chinese international student, at a pub. Nilsen lures him back to his flat under false pretenses and attempts to strangle him.
• Andrew escapes, reports the assault to police, but due to the climate of homophobia and victim-shaming, Nilsen isn't charged.
• Quote: [14:00] Alaina: "A lot of activists see the disinterest of law enforcement and the social stigmas around the gay community to have allowed him to continue killing people."
• Quote: [14:43] Alaina (citing Peter Tatchel): "Had they done a proper investigation and caught Nilsen, 15 victims might still be alive."

3. The Murder of Kenneth Ockendon (15:32–18:52)

• Nilsen befriends Canadian tourist Kenneth Ockendon; after a night of camaraderie, Nilsen strangles him.
• He develops a macabre routine: washing, dressing, posing, and photographing the corpse—revealing deepening psychosis.
• Quote: [18:29] Alaina: "He would speak to him as though he were still listening. I would compliment him on his looks and anatomy."

4. Chilling Logistics: Hiding the Bodies (19:15–20:08)

• Discussion on Nilsen’s methods of interacting with the bodies and the unsettling fact that neighbors were unaware of the horrors inside his flat.
• Quote: [20:24] Ash: "You drive past a lot of houses in your life—some weird shit’s going down in some of them."

5. Martin Duffy: The Youngest Victim (25:34–29:31)

• Martin Duffy, a 16-year-old runaway, becomes another victim—his youth making the crime even more haunting.
• Nilsen bathes with the body, displaying escalating necrophilic behavior.
• Quote: [29:01] Alaina: "I talked to him and mentioned that his body was the youngest looking I'd ever seen."
• Ash's reaction: [29:03] "So he's a pedophile." (emphasizing the breadth of Nilsen's depravity)

6. Escalation & Increasing Desperation (30:08–36:44)

• With little consequence for his past acts, Nilsen begins killing more frequently and erratically, targeting men on society's margins.
• Many of these later victims remain unidentified.
• Quote: [32:46] Alaina: "He was just one of hundreds of men who’d gone missing from London over the years, 41 of whom were named Billy Sutherland."

7. Compartmentalization: Living Dual Lives (34:31–36:44)

• Fascinating exploration of how Nilsen separated his horrifying double life from his public persona.
• Ash and Alaina reflect on compartmentalization and trauma.
• Quote: [35:28] Alaina: "He would later say, 'I never thought of them again at work until I came home that evening.'"

8. The Kindly Killer Moniker (43:08–44:01)

• The "kindly" persona: Nilsen occasionally exhibits moments of apparent empathy (e.g., helping Malcolm Barlow during an epileptic episode), undercut by his later violence.

9. The Murder of Malcolm Barlow: Murder as Inconvenience (45:50–48:41)

• Nilsen helps and feeds Barlow, only to murder him out of simple irritation and inconvenience—his motivations becoming less “psychosexual” and more capricious.
• Quote: [47:14] Alaina: "Given the events of that day... Dennis made the deliberate decision to just get rid of him."

10. The Practicalities of Storage and Disposal (48:41–50:23)

• As the body count rises, decomposition, bugs, and landlord intervention force Nilsen to dismember and burn the corpses. He attempts to mask the smell with burning tires.
• Quote: [50:22] Alaina: "He threw an old tire into the pit, hoping the smell of burning rubber would ward off any questions."

11. The Cranley Gardens Flat: A Change in Modus Operandi (51:40–53:35)

• In his new attic flat, lack of space forces a pause and changes his method. Paul Knobbs survives an attack, waking with strangulation marks—a rare escapee.
• Quote: [53:13] Ash: "The fact that he stopped is not something we come across very often."

12. The Murder of John Howlett: Loss of Control (54:42–57:42)

• Howlett is a different type of victim—bigger and stronger than Nilsen—leading to a brutal struggle.
• Quote: [56:34] Alaina (quoting Nilsen): "'I think I said, ‘it’s about time you went.’’ Think about that in your head, how scary that is."

13. Coping with the Macabre: Humor & Processing (58:27–61:51)

• Ash and Alaina use humor and relatable anxieties to process the horror.
• Quote: [58:04] Ash: "Meanwhile, I actually can't sleep on my right side... and this man's just going to sleep with a dead body that he just killed in his bathroom."

14. Gender, Brain Differences & Theories (60:01–62:05)

• Thoughtful discussion on the prevalence of male serial killers, the psychology and possible neurological factors at play, and musing on whether modern science could one day prevent such crimes.
• Quote: [61:51] Ash: "Actually a fun bonus episode idea would be to look at the different parts of the brain and what they're responsible for and how it relates to crime and decision making in general."

15. Dismemberment, Disposal, and Foreshadowing the End (62:05–63:25)

• Unable to hide bodies as before, Nilsen resorts to dismembering victims and attempting to dispose of remains through drains and boiling.
• Quote: [62:31] Alaina: "He flushed the organ down the toilet and other small pieces of flesh. He also boiled John Howlett's head, hands, and feet."

16. Next Episode Teaser & A Palate Cleanser (63:27–64:05)

• Alaina signals the transition to part three—hinting that Nilsen’s increasingly erratic actions are leading to his downfall.
• The episode closes with a light, wholesome fact about dogs tilting their heads to listen—a routine “palate cleanser.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the failure of police intervention:
  [14:43] Alaina (quoting Peter Tatchel):
  "Had they done a proper investigation and caught Nilsen, 15 victims might still be alive."

• On witnessing evil next door:
  [20:24] Ash:
  "You drive past a lot of houses in your life—some weird shit’s going down in some of them."

• On the chilling aftermath:
  [58:04] Ash:
  "Meanwhile, I actually can't sleep on my right side... and this man's just going to sleep with a dead body that he just killed in his bathroom."

• On gender and the criminal psyche:
  [61:51] Ash:
  "Actually a fun bonus episode idea would be to look at the different parts of the brain and what they're responsible for and how it relates to crime and decision making in general."

• On the central horror:
  [29:01] Alaina (quoting Nilsen):
  "I talked to him and mentioned that his body was the youngest looking I'd ever seen."
  [29:03] Ash (reacting):
  "So he's a pedophile. Wow. Necrophiliac, murderer, pedophile. You can't get everything."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 09:07 — Recap and introduction to Part 2
• 10:10–14:46 — The Andrew Ho incident and missed police opportunity
• 15:32–18:52 — The murder of Kenneth Ockendon and Nilsen's rituals
• 19:15–20:08 — Concealing and interacting with the dead
• 25:34–29:31 — The murder of Martin Duffy and escalating depravity
• 30:08–32:46 — Escalation, targeting marginalized men
• 34:31–36:44 — Nilsen's compartmentalization and dual lives
• 45:50–48:41 — The murder of Malcolm Barlow: inconvenience as motive
• 48:41–50:23 — Burning remains to avoid detection
• 51:40–53:35 — Move to Cranley Gardens: changes in method, survivor story
• 54:42–57:42 — The murder of John Howlett: change in victimology, struggle
• 58:27–61:51 — Processing trauma, gender, and brains
• 62:05–63:25 — Dismembering and disposing of bodies
• 63:27–64:05 — Previewing Part 3 and a wholesome dog science fact

Tone and Format

Ash and Alaina bring their trademark mix of empathy, research, and morbid wit to unfathomably dark material, balancing the horror with honest reflections, occasional comedic relief, and pop culture asides.

Summary

This episode chronicles the tragic escalation of Nilsen’s killing spree and the systemic, societal, and psychological failures that allowed it to continue. The hosts make profound points about marginalized victims, police indifference, and the complexities of the criminal mind. As Nilsen spirals into chaos, the episode sets the stage for his eventual capture—promising that justice, and more crucial insights, are coming in part three.