Killer In The Family

In January 2016 the bodies of 43 year old Sian Blake and her sons 8 year old Zachary and 4 year old Amon were discovered in a shallow grave in the garden of their home they shared with Sian’s partner and the boys’ father Arthur Simpson-Blake.

Former EastEnders actress Sian was living under the control of Simpson-Kent for most of their relationship and had recently been diagnosed with the neurological condition of motor neurone disease. She was getting ready to leave Simpson-Kent and his controlling ways. He discovered this and took his one final, fatal act of control by killing his whole family before fleeing to Ghana.

He was extradited and arrested back in the UK where he was given a whole life sentence for the brutal murder of his whole family.

This is the story of the Blake Family.

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Come and join me at CrimeCon in London on the 3rd and 4th of October! Get your ticket at crimecon.co.uk and use code FAMILY to get 10% off.

Information and support
Samaritans UK Contact Us | Samaritans
Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) Home - AAFDA
Women’s Aid Home - Women's Aid
National Domestic Abuse Helpline UK 0808 2000 247
Mental health support USA Mental Health America | Homepage | Mental Health America
Domestic abuse helpline USA 1.800.799.SAFE Domestic Violence Support | National Domestic Violence Hotline

References
Sentencing remarks by Mr Justice Singh: R -v- Simpson-Kent

Sian Blake: From triumph to tragedy – the life and death of the EastEnders actress | The Independent | The Independent

'Evil monster' killed disabled Eastenders star and two sons with axe in 'barbaric' way - The Mirror

'I'm a former detective - this murder was lowest point of my career' | Weird | News | Express.co.uk

Sian Blake death: Arthur Simpson-Kent given life sentence - BBC News

Sian Blake death: Arthur Simpson-Kent loses life term challenge - BBC News

Simpson-Kent admits murder of EastEnders actress Sian Blake and their two children | ITV News London

Credits
Hosted and created by Clare Laxton @ladylaxton
Produced by Clare Laxton
Part of W!ZARD Studios @wizradio
Music by Pixabay

If you want early access, ad-free episodes of Killer in the family as well as one bonus episode per month, unlock the Killer in the family Vault today: https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily/membership

If you’re enjoying the podcast and would like to support its running, please consider buying me a coffee buymeacoffee.com/clarelaxton
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

To unlock this full bonus episode and get ad-free, early access episodes, join the Killer in the family Vault today: https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily/membership
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

To unlock this full bonus episode and get ad-free, early access episodes join the Killer in the family Vault today: https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily/membership
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Unlock the Killer in the family Vault today https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily/membership

Get ad-free, early access episodes and one bonus episode every months with exclusive access to the Killer in the family Vault https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily/membership

In October 1992 on the Central Coast in Australia 23 year old Kerry Gannan and her 18 year old sister Lisa – who was seven months pregnant – were shot and killed by Kerry’s violent ex-boyfriend Malcolm Baker. He also shot Kerry and Lisa’s father Thomas who was with them that evening and shot and injured Kerry’s new boyfriend 22 year old Christoper Gall. He survived.

Baker then jumped in a car and went on to shoot and kill his 27 year old son David Baker and then travelled to kill 35 year old Ross Smith and 25 year old Leslie Read who was reportedly pregnant at the time. Baker blamed Ross for a failed business deal.

Baker was a violent, abusive and controlling perpetrator who sought revenge on his ex-girlfriend who had left him to protect herself. He later handed himself into police and died in prison in 2024.

This is the story of Kerry, Lisa and Thomas Gannan, David Baker, Ross Smith and Leslie Read.
________________________________________________________________

Come and join me at CrimeCon in London on the 3rd and 4th of October! Get your ticket at crimecon.co.uk and use code FAMILY to get 10% off.

Information and support
Samaritans UK Contact Us | Samaritans
Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) Home - AAFDA
Women’s Aid Home - Women's Aid
National Domestic Abuse Helpline UK 0808 2000 247
Mental health support USA Mental Health America | Homepage | Mental Health America
Domestic abuse helpline USA 1.800.799.SAFE Domestic Violence Support | National Domestic Violence Hotline

References
The Central Coast massacre, six shot dead, Malcolm Baker | Daily Telegraph

Top 10 Most Dangerous Inmates In Australia's Supermax Goulburn Correctional Centre | Criminal

Family massacre: ‘The girls had no chance’ | Rockhampton Morning Bulletin

Malcolm George Baker | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

Credits
Hosted and created by Clare Laxton @ladylaxton
Produced by Clare Laxton
Part of W!ZARD Studios @wizradio
Music by Pixabay

If you want early access, ad-free episodes of Killer in the family as well as one bonus episode per month, unlock the Killer in the family Vault today: https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily/membership

If you’re enjoying the podcast and would like to support its running, please consider buying me a coffee buymeacoffee.com/clarelaxton
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Unlock the Killer in the family Vault today https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily/membership

Get ad-free, early access episodes and one bonus episode every months with exclusive access to the Killer in the family Vault https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily/membership

________________________________________________________________

Come and join me at CrimeCon in London on the 3rd and 4th of October! Get your ticket at crimecon.co.uk and use code FAMILY to get 10% off.

On Christmas Eve 2002 43 year old Jean Wholaver and her two daughters – 20 year old Victoria and 15 year old Elizabeth were killed by estranged husband and father Ernest Wholaver. Victoria’s 9 month old daughter was also in the house but left physically unharmed.

Although he killed them in their home – he had come from his parent’s house – as at that point he had been charged with multiple sexual offences against his daughters Victoria and Elizabeth and they had secured a protection order against him.

Thought to be motivated by eliminating Jean, Victoria and Elizabeth as witnesses in the sexual offences case against him, Wholaver was convicted of the murders and sentenced to death. He sits on death row to this day.

This is the story of the Wholaver Family.

Information and support
Samaritans UK Contact Us | Samaritans
Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) Home - AAFDA
Women’s Aid Home - Women's Aid
Rape Crisis Rape Crisis England & Wales
National Domestic Abuse Helpline UK 0808 2000 247
Mental health support USA Mental Health America | Homepage | Mental Health America
Domestic abuse helpline USA 1.800.799.SAFE Domestic Violence Support | National Domestic Violence Hotline

References
Com. v. Wholaver (Com. v. Wholaver, 903 A.2d 1178, 588 Pa. 218 (Pa. 2006)) - vLex United States

Ernest Wholaver | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers

20 years later: Pennsylvania Christmas Eve killer still on death row

A Murder Before Christmas: The Wholaver Family - TwistedPhilly

Jean Wholaver Obituary (2003) - Harrisburg, PA - Patriot-News

Pennsylvania v. Wholaver :: 2018 :: Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Decisions :: Pennsylvania Case Law :: Pennsylvania Law :: U.S. Law :: Justia

Bella Fiori https://youtu.be/2nicq2YNtsU?si=OQ8rGPmyNO-xVTuG

Credits
Hosted and created by Clare Laxton @ladylaxton
Produced by Clare Laxton
Part of W!ZARD Studios @wizradio
Music by Pixabay

If you want early access, ad-free episodes of Killer in the family as well as one bonus episode per month, unlock the Killer in the family Vault today: https://www.patreon.com/cw/KillerInTheFamily/membership

If you’re enjoying the podcast and would like to support its running, please consider buying me a coffee buymeacoffee.com/clarelaxton
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.