Christopher Halliwell should be questioned about the unsolved murder of a young woman from 30 years ago, according to her mother.
On 6 August 1994, Julie Finley’s body was discovered naked in a carrot field in Rainford, Lancashire. The 23-year-old had been strangled. A witness reported hearing Julie scream for help before he fled after being threatened by her assailant.
56/ Christopher Halliwell – Taxi driver Haliwell pleaded guilty to the murder of Sian O’Callaghan whom he stabbed to death. While under arrest in connection with her disappearance, Halliwell confessed to killing another woman several years earlier, 20-year-old Becky Godden. pic.twitter.com/1qdCOpOfGf
— Andy on Crime (@AndyOnCrime) March 25, 2024
Halliwell, who was living just four miles from the crime scene at the time, was known to drive a white Transit van similar to the one seen near the location. A 1995 interview with the case officer revealed that the killer’s van was likely a D, E, or F registration.
Julie’s mother, Pat, 79, has urged the police to interview Halliwell in prison about her daughter’s murder. “He’s already serving a life sentence, so admitting to this crime won’t add any extra time,” she said.
Merseyside Police have stated they are reviewing the case and continuing forensic work started in 2021. There is a £10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.
Halliwell, a 60-year-old taxi driver from Swindon, was convicted of the 2003 murder of Becky Godden-Edwards, whose body was discovered in 2011. He was also arrested for the murder of Sian O’Callaghan, 22, in 2011.
Julie, who was addicted to heroin and weighed just six stone, disappeared from Liverpool city centre on the evening of 5 August 1994. Like Halliwell’s known victims, Julie was in her early 20s, small in stature, and alone when she was lured into a vehicle, killed, and left in a rural area.
There were no signs of a sexual assault, her clothes were missing, and a solid object was forced into her neck. Julie was found face down in bushes, similar to Sian O’Callaghan.
Detective Steve Fulcher, involved in Halliwell’s previous cases, said: “There’s a compelling case against Halliwell, based on witness accounts, circumstances, MO, victim profile, known motive, and opportunity.” A woman named Tina informed the police that Julie had planned to meet a taxi driver the night she vanished.
A witness saw a young woman arguing with a man around 12:30 am on 6 August in a layby near the Wheatsheaf pub, close to where Julie’s body was found. The man tried to force the woman into a white transit van. Another witness reported that a hitchhiker saw a naked woman screaming for help in a van at the same location. The hitchhiker, described as a man in his mid-20s with short blond hair, has never come forward.
Detective Chief Inspector Francis Youell told the BBC’s Crimewatch that he believed the hitchhiker was the last person to see Julie alive, other than her killer. He confirmed that the van had a “D, E or F” registration, indicating it was manufactured between 1986 and 1989. Pat mentioned that Mr Youell was dedicated to solving Julie’s case before his death. She pleaded, “If someone knows something, please come forward and give us some peace.”
Remembering her late husband Albie, who died in 2019 without seeing justice, she added, “I’m 79 now and I want justice before I go.”
Merseyside Police stated they cannot confirm the identities of persons of interest or specific actions taken but continue to appeal for information to aid their enquiries.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.