Three unsolved murders in the late 1960’s in Glasgow, Scotland terrorized those in the area. A killer was on the loose and they were calling him Bible John.
Artists impression of Bible John from the description given by the sister of his last victim
Source: dailyrecord.co.uk
This nickname was coined from the behaviour of the only suspect in this case, a man who shared a taxi with the last victim who said his name was John and quoted from the Bible. Two previous murders of local woman had shocked the city and the longer the suspect remained at large the more frightened the residents became.
There was no doubt three murders of women in the city of Glasgow had been carried out by the same individual. All three were women and all three were strangled and beaten. Then all of a sudden, in 1969 the murders stopped and the trail of the so called Bible John went cold.
Glasgow is a vibrant city and in the 1960’s it was about dancing, meeting friends and enjoying yourself. The Barrowland Ballroom in the East End was a popular venue allowing for nights of fun and laughter. The ballroom however soon became famous for a different reason, one of terror and fear as all three victims attended this Ballroom on the night of their murder giving rise to the notion that this is where they met their killer.
The City of Glasgow, Scotland
The Bible John Murders
Particia Docker was a 25 year old nurse out for a night of fun with her friends in February 1968. She never returned home and was found the next morning by an unsuspecting labourer on his way to work. She had told her parents she was going to a different ballroom that night, losing the police valuable time before they discovered her true whereabouts. When she was found her clothes and handbag were missing and have never been recovered.
The Barrowland Ballroom was a popular night-time venue in 1960's Glasgow
A year and a half later, Jemima McDonald aged 32 went for a night out at the Barrowland and once again she did not return home. She was found days later in a derelict house by her own sister who by this time had become desperately worried and followed up on rumours from children that they had seen a body in the house. Once again the beaten and strangled body of a young women had been found with no clothes or belongings after a night out at the Barrowland Ballroom.
Just two months later, Helen Puttock enjoyed a night out with her sister in the East End of Glasgow. They had met two men that night and shared a taxi home. After her sister left the taxi at her own house, she waved off Helen fully expecting to see her the next day as arranged. Helen never did arrive home and was found the next morning in the same manner as the previous two victims.
In Glasgow’s longest running and most high profile of unsolved crimes, the mystery of Bible John has had the city whispering and questioning on who he could be. Despite a reported 50’000 statements being taken regarding the murders, no one has ever been caught for the crimes. Two theories on his identity have risen to the top and each claim Bible John is a different man.
Was Bible John a serving Police Officer?
One theory is that Bible John was in fact a police officer and this is why he has evaded capture for so long. According to retired police officer and author Paul Harrison, a local policeman was under suspicion by the investigating officer in the case but he was ordered to shut that line of enquiry down by higher bosses.
Dancing with the Devil: The Bible John Murders by Harrison, Paul (2013) Hardcover
Retired police officer Paul Harrison believes he knows the true identity of Bible John and is concerned he may have killed again.
Mr Harrison believes he has uncovered the name of this officer and has offered this information to police. In his book, Dancing with the Devil – The Bible John Murders, Mr Harrison details his search for the truth about the identity of Bible John and his claims he was a serving police officer at the time of the murders.
He claims he knows the area this man now lives and is concerned he may have killed again. Paul Harrison was one of the first police officers in the UK to train with the FBI on criminal profiling techniques. His own research and investigation into the Bible John murders is extensive and provides some additional information to the case. Harrison makes a number of claims in his book including that the sister of the final victim was sure the man she met that night was a police officer. He also claims through interviews with people at the Ballroom, he has uncovered a number of witness statements which describe a man showing a police identification card who fits the description of the so-called Bible John.
Was Peter Tobin also Bible John?
A man who has become a target of speculation is man who has been convicted of the murder of three other women in the Glasgow area in chillingly similar circumstances. Peter Tobin is a well-known name in Glasgow after being convicted of three brutal attacks. After the murder of his third victim, Angelika Kluk in 2006 in Glasgow, and the remains of his first two young victims, Dinah McNicol and Vicky Hamilton were found in his former house in Kent, police realised Tobin had been operating for a long time. He was in the Glasgow area at the time of the Bible John murders and his crimes and whereabouts have fuelled speculation that he is the mysterious Bible John.
Peter Tobin was convicted of the murder of three women
Source: telegraph.co.uk
It should be noted that police have not been able to find any firm evidence to link Tobin to the Bible John murders. After his conviction, an extensive operation was launched to trace his history over concerns he may have been responsible for other murders in the UK. While police have not linked him to this case, many people still believe he was responsible for the Bible John murders.
This belief is based on his similarity in looks to the description given of Bible John, that he is the right age and that his known crimes share similar characteristics to these unsolved murders. These have been highlighted by Criminologist Professor David Wilson, along with the fact he was known to be in the area at the time. He is also known for his interest in religion giving him a further connection to the Bible John identity.
Professor David Wilson has stated he firmly believes Peter Tobin is Bible John, to the extent he has published a book with his findings, The Lost British Serial Killer. He feels there are too many coincidences in the case, for example the surname Bible John gave was said to be something like Templeton or Sempleson and it was subsequently found out that one of the aliases used by Tobin was John Semple. The numerous similarities of Tobin’s crimes and his characteristics have convinced Professor Wilson that Peter Tobin is Bible John.
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I am as convinced as it's able to be. As far as I am concerned the case is closed.
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The Bible John Mystery Continues
Theories on the identity of Bible John have been rife, with speculation continuing today, over 40 years after the murders. Each year that passes is another year that the families of the victims do not have the answers on who cruelly and brutally took their loved ones away before their time. Forensic science has developed greatly since the murders, however the evidence collected at the time has not proved to be good enough quality so far to firmly rule as suspect in or out of this investigation.
Someone out there knows the truth. Someone knows what happened on those three nights in Glasgow and someone knows who Bible John really is. Whether this will ever be revealed conclusively however is unknown and it may be that the true identity of Bible John will forever remain a mystery.
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