Killer's Grin: Wright Admits Victoria Hall Murder After Years

Steve Wright, the serial killer known as the Suffolk Strangler, has confessed to the 1999 murder of Victoria Hall, a crime for which he was not initially a suspect. At 67, Wright appeared in court and pleaded guilty to kidnapping and murdering the 17-year-old, 22 years after her disappearance. His confession occurred on the first day of a trial that was expected to last a month.

This admission raises significant questions about the initial police investigation. Detectives spent £2 million prosecuting another man, Adrian Bradshaw, who was eventually acquitted after charges collapsed. During this time, Wright, who lived just half a mile from Victoria's home, continued to commit other murders, including five sex workers in a six-week period in 2006. Evidence suggests police overlooked crucial information, including a description provided by a woman Wright attempted to abduct just 24 hours before Victoria's murder.

Victoria Hall vanished on September 18, 1999, after leaving a nightclub. Her body was found five days later. Wright, who had a history of violence towards women and paid for sex, was only linked to Victoria's murder years later. Fresh forensic techniques in 2019 revealed DNA linking him to the crime, leading to his arrest in prison in July 2021. His confession came too late for Victoria's mother, who passed away in December 2025, weeks before his trial.