Russell Bishop, Babes In The Wood murderer, dies of brain cancer at 55. He was convicted for the murders of two nine-year old girls.

  • Two years ago, Murderer was diagnosed with cancer and died in hospital.
  • In 1986, he killed his two best friends, Nicola Fellows & Karen Hadaway.
  • Since October of last year, Bishop has been in palliative care. 










Russell Bishop, the Babes in the Wood’s killer, died of brain cancer. 

Last night, the 55-year-old murderer died in hospital after being rushed from HMP Frankland (County Durham), to his death. 

He killed his nine-year-old best friends, Nicola Fellows (9) and Karen Hadaway in 1986. Then he dumped their bodies in the woods near their Brighton home.

He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2020. However, the disease later spread to his brain.  

Babes in the Wood killer Russell Bishop has died from brain cancer. The murderer, 55, passed away in hospital last night after being rushed there from the top security HMP Frankland, in County Durham

Russell Bishop, the Babes in the Wood murderer, has been diagnosed with brain cancer. After being taken from HMP Frankland in County Durham, the murderer, aged 55, died in hospital.

According to The Sun the murderer died last night in hospital while being monitored by two prison officers. 

Bishop lured Nicola and Karen, their two closest friends to a secluded hideaway in Brighton’s Wild Park. There he sexually assaulted then strangled them.

It was only half a block from the homes of both families that the tragic discovery occurred.

Following a number of mistakes by police, forensics experts, and prosecutors in 1987, Bishop was exonerated of the Babes in the Wood crime.

Nicola Fellows

Karen Hadaway

In 1986, when Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows were just nine years old each, Bishop brutally murdered them both.

He raped, molested and throttled a 7-year-old girl in Devil’s Dyke within three years.

In light of a DNA discovery, Bishop was sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime.

He was eventually convicted in 2018 of the murders Nicola and Karen.    

The Sun received a report last night from a source saying that Bishop had spent the past weeks in relative calm – away from the suffering he’s caused to his girls’ families.

“There won’t be any tears of sorrow for his passing.”

After his condition in prison had rapidly deteriorated and he started having breathing problems, the killer was taken to hospital. 

He was taken from us just before 9:00 last night.   

Bishop pictured after his initial arrest for the 1986 Babes in the Wood murders

Bishop after his first arrest in the 1986 Babes in the Wood murders

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