‘Scalp Hunter’ John Sweeney: did he kill more?
Do you know women in drawings by double murderer who dumped his victims in canals?
Published: 27th May, 2011
by JOSIE HINTON
THE conviction of the “Scalp Hunter” murderer last month finally laid to rest the 10-year mystery surrounding the discovery of a dismembered body in the Regent’s Canal.
But Scotland Yard detectives fear there could be further victims of “demonic killer” John Sweeney, who frequented the Holloway Road area.
The 54-year-old carpenter, who lived in Kentish Town, was found guilty at the Old Bailey of the murder and mutilation of two former girlfriends.
The remains of Paula Fields and Melissa Halstead were found in canals in Camden Town and Holland but the head and hands of both women have never been retrieved.
Although the two women died 10 years apart, detectives were able to link the two murders to Sweeney.
They have now released Sweeney’s macabre drawings in a bid to trace three further ex-girlfriends whose whereabouts are unknown.
Detective Chief Inspector Howard Groves said: “As Sweeney contemplates a life behind bars, I can assure him that this investigation will continue as we seek to identify and trace other potential victims in the UK, Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe who may have suffered a similar fate to that of Melissa and Paula.
“We are appealing for information to trace a number of unidentified women who were associated with Sweeney.”
The first is a Brazilian called Irani, believed to be in her mid-40s in 1996-97. She frequented pubs and restaurants in the Highbury and Holloway Road areas. Sweeney’s drawing of her is believed to have been done in 1997.
The second is Maria, believed to be Colombian in her late 30s in 1997-98. She was known in pubs and restaurants in the Finsbury Park and Holloway Road areas.
Police also want to trace an English woman in her late 20s or early 30s, a devout church-goer known in the Holloway Road area. She was training to be a nurse and may have moved to Switzerland to work.
DCI Groves said: “We don’t know what happened to these women – we just need to find out more about them and their relationship with Sweeney.
“We also need to identify another woman whose drawing was found among his possessions and is marked ‘London 1985’. We would urge anyone who recognises this woman as them or someone they knew to get in touch.
“We are appealing for information to trace individuals associated with Sweeney or people who know his exact whereabouts while he visited and worked across Europe in the 1980s and 1990s.”
Sweeney has been described as a handsome and charming man who led a bohemian and transient life working as a carpenter.
He used a number of aliases such as Joe Johnson, Joe Carroll and Scouse Joe and spoke with a stutter.
Police have released images of Sweeney in the 1980s and 1990s in the hope anyone who knew him will come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room at Barnes Green police station on 0208 247 7821 or, if you wish to remain anonymous, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.