Home / Crime and Justice / Soham Killer Ian Huntley Dies From Blunt Head Injury
Soham Killer Ian Huntley Dies From Blunt Head Injury
14 Apr
Summary
- Ian Huntley died from blunt head injury after prison attack.
- He was struck multiple times with a metal bar in jail.
- Another prisoner has been charged with his murder.
An inquest has determined that Ian Huntley, infamous for the 2002 Soham murders, died from a blunt head injury. The 52-year-old was attacked on February 26, 2026, at HMP Frankland in Durham. During the assault, he was struck multiple times with a metal bar by another prisoner.
Huntley was transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle for treatment but passed away on March 7, 2026. A post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death as blunt head injury. His body was formally identified on the day of his death.
Anthony Russell, aged 43, has been charged with murdering Huntley within the maximum-security jail. Russell is scheduled to appear in Newcastle Crown Court on April 24, 2026, for a pre-trial preparation hearing. The coroner has adjourned the inquest until May 27, 2026, pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
Huntley was serving a life sentence for the 2002 murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in Cambridgeshire. He was convicted in 2003 and given a minimum term of 40 years.
