How do you catch a killer who leaves no trace?

In this episode of True Criminals, legendary Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt and veteran journalist Helen Fospero dive deep into one of the most chilling cases in British history: the hunt for serial killer Levi Bellfield.

Joining them in the studio is the man who finally brought him to justice, Retired DCI Colin Sutton. Known for his "old-fashioned" detective work, Sutton reveals the inside story of the investigation that spanned years and multiple murders, eventually linking the deaths of Milly Dowler, Marsha McDonnell, and Amélie Delagrange.

The Breakthrough: Discover how DCI Colin Sutton connected the dots between seemingly unrelated attacks when others couldn't see the pattern.
The Investigation: A behind-the-scenes look at the "Manhunt"—the relentless surveillance and the crucial CCTV footage of a white Vauxhall Belmont that became the catalyst for Bellfield's arrest.
Catching a Monster: How Sutton’s team built a case with zero DNA evidence, relying instead on meticulous forensic link-building and "boots-on-the-ground" policing.
The Conviction: The moment Levi Bellfield was finally identified as the "Bus Stop Killer" and the subsequent confession that brought closure to the family of Milly Dowler.

………………………….

Support the Show

Listen ad free and access our full catalogue, including a True Criminals coffee mug, on Patreon at ⁠www.patreon.com/truecriminals⁠.

As an independent podcast, we rely on listener support. You can also donate via PayPal

https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=YQVFJR5766BJE

Follow True Criminals

Follow us on Instagram at ⁠@true.criminals⁠ and subscribe to our YouTube channel at ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@True-Criminals⁠.

Connect with Martin Brunt

Follow Martin on Twitter at ⁠@skymartinbrunt⁠. Discover more about his career and the cases he’s covered by reading his book, No One Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason: Dispatches from a Crime Reporter, available here: ⁠https://amzn.eu/d/g1WisSY⁠.

Connect with Helen Fospero

Follow Helen on Instagram at ⁠@helenfospero⁠ and check out her podcast, The Convex Conversation, here: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-convex-conversation/id1510209575⁠.

Credits

True Criminals is produced by Audio Bleach Global.

Visit ⁠www.audiobleachglobal.com/truecriminals⁠ for more information.

Executive Producer: Lee Mann.

Producer: Russell Barnes.

Audio Production: Andrew Chappell.

Music Composition: Chap Mannequin.
Artwork: Bleached

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices