It was, according to the judge, “a scene taking place all over England every day – a mother and two small children walking home from school.” The children, aged nine and six, had just enjoyed the excitement of their end-of-term swimming gala. They were happily walking with their mother through cornfields and a small wood, wrapped in towels with their wet swimsuits inside, unaware of the horrifying events about to unfold.

The tragic events that followed have haunted me for nearly 30 years. Michael Stone was put on trial and retried for the murders of Lin Russell and her younger daughter Megan, as well as the attempted murder of her elder daughter, Josie. I reported on every day of both trials and vividly remember the shocking details.

The killer had tied up and blindfolded Lin and Megan, and when Josie attempted to escape, he chased after her, tied and blindfolded her as well, and then struck all three victims repeatedly in the head with a hammer. When the family failed to return home, an alarm was raised. The police eventually discovered the bodies after midnight, and initially, they believed Josie was also dead. However, an hour later, an officer noticed her twitching, and she was rushed to the hospital after lying bound and unattended for nine long hours.

There was no DNA evidence, no murder weapon, and no eyewitness identification, yet the prosecution presented some of the most extraordinary evidence I had ever witnessed in 40 years of covering court cases. On the second day of the trial in October 1998, the jury watched with rapt attention as Josie, physically and mentally scarred, moved small three-inch figures around a miniature country scene. These figures represented the victims, their dog Lucy (also killed), and the murderer.

Josie had been interviewed for months by detectives Pauline Smith and Edwin Tingley, who used bright scrapbooks, pictures, and models to help her recount what had happened. She was asked to show how the man had attacked her family. She moved the figures slowly, and with great precision, she recreated the moment when the killer approached the family, hit them with the hammer, and tied them up with towels. Josie’s gestures were simple but profound, and the courtroom watched in silence as she relived the traumatic event.

The key evidence, however, was not Josie’s testimony alone. The police had no direct forensic evidence linking Michael Stone to the crime, but they were convinced he was their man. Stone was a violent drug addict with a history of escalating violence, and he had previously been imprisoned for robbery and assault. He was known in his area of Kent as “Mad Mick the Hammer Man,” a nickname derived from his violent past and the tools he used in attacks. Despite his violent tendencies, Stone had been released from prison and was spiraling out of control due to heroin and amphetamine use.

On the first anniversary of the murders, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Philip Sugarman recognized a man from a Crimewatch reconstruction of the killer’s likeness. Sugarman realized that the man in the e-fit looked exactly like someone he had treated – none other than Michael Stone. Police arrested Stone, who claimed to be too high on heroin to remember the day of the murders. Despite this, he had burned the clothes he had been wearing, raising further suspicion.

The prosecution’s case rested on the testimonies of fellow prisoners who claimed Stone had confessed to the murders while incarcerated. Damien Daley, convicted murderer Mark Jennings, and Barry Thompson each testified that Stone had admitted to killing Lin and Megan, though their credibility was questionable. They were all hardened criminals, and the police had no shortage of informants willing to testify against Stone. Nevertheless, their testimonies were essential in securing the conviction, even though Stone’s barrister, William Clegg, warned the jury to treat the evidence with caution.

Despite doubts about the reliability of the prison testimonies, the jury convicted Stone by a 10-2 majority after deliberating for three days. Stone denied the charges, claiming innocence and even gesturing helplessly toward his family as he was led away. In my own judgment, I felt that the prosecution’s case was weak, yet I also believed that society would be safer with Stone behind bars.

Eighteen months later, Stone was granted an appeal. During this process, the credibility of the prison informants collapsed. Thompson retracted his testimony, admitting he had lied, and Jennings was exposed for accepting money from a newspaper. The Court of Appeal decided that the case should be retried due to the discrediting of crucial evidence.

In 2001, Stone’s second trial began, and the same video footage of Josie’s evidence was shown again. The jury appeared visibly moved by her testimony. Even though the prosecution had lost two of its star witnesses, Daley returned and reiterated his testimony, while the courtroom watched in tense silence. The trial took a brief pause when news of the September 11 attacks broke, and journalists were summoned back to London. After a month of proceedings, Stone was again convicted by a 10-2 majority, and he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Though the case against him was, in my view, even weaker the second time around, Stone once again refused to take the stand in his own defense, which likely hurt his case. The jury, influenced by Josie’s suffering and the emotional weight of the trial, convicted him once more. Yet, even after two convictions, there are still ongoing campaigns questioning Stone’s guilt. Many argue that Levi Bellfield, the infamous serial killer responsible for the death of Milly Dowler, was the true perpetrator of the Russell family murders. Stone’s case continues to be reviewed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which may refer it to the Court of Appeal for further examination.

As for Josie, she has shown remarkable resilience. After extensive surgeries, she continues to live a fulfilling life, despite the intellectual impairment caused by her head injuries. Now in her late 40s, she resides in the same house she grew up in and is happily engaged. She has graduated with a degree in design and textiles from Bangor University and works as an artist in North Wales. Her father, Shaun Russell, also lives nearby. The one bright spot in a tragic story is that Josie has rebuilt her life.

Stone, on the other hand, remains behind bars and has consistently maintained his innocence. His case is far from over, and the question of whether he truly committed these heinous murders will likely continue to haunt the public and the justice system for years to come.