Missing Brady manuscript could reveal Keith Bennett burial site
Police reaffirm commitment to solving Moors murder as documentary uncovers new lead
The final, unreleased pages of Moors murderer Ian Brady’s autobiography may hold crucial information about the murder and burial of Keith Bennett — the only victim of the notorious killing spree whose body has never been found.
A new BBC documentary, The Moors Murders – A Search For Justice, claims the last 200 pages of Brady’s manuscript Black Light could shed light on the fate of 12-year-old Keith, who disappeared in June 1964.
Keith was one of five children abducted, tortured and murdered by Brady and his partner Myra Hindley during the 1960s. The pair buried their victims on Saddleworth Moor, above Manchester, but despite multiple searches — most recently in 2022 — Keith's body has never been recovered.
The missing pages of the manuscript are believed to be held by Brady’s former solicitor, Robin Makin, who received a sealed parcel — thought to be the full autobiography — following the serial killer’s death in 2017 at the age of 79.
Although Mr Makin has previously said he does not believe the manuscript contains any new information, he has not commented on the latest claims raised by the documentary.
Greater Manchester Police said the investigation into Keith’s disappearance “has remained open since 1964”
The force reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing any credible leads:
“While visible searches have paused over time, with the most recent taking place in 2022, an investigation team within our Major Crime Review Unit continues our work to find the answers Keith’s family deserves.
“Investigative activity continues, outside of public view, in the hope further evidence relating to this case can be uncovered and we are committed to act where credible information is shared.
“We are in regular contact with Keith’s family, who are central to any action we take. They are kept updated on the ongoing lines of enquiry – some of which, could be jeopardised by public disclosure, and no further comment on these matters will be given.
“Greater Manchester Police remains very interested in any information that could lead to the discovery of Keith, and we will be seeking to obtain, review and establish the relevance of all the information held by the documentary team.”
Brady’s manuscript had long been of interest to those trying to piece together the truth behind the killings. Theologian Dr Alan Keightley, who spent extensive time interviewing Brady at Ashworth Special Hospital, wrote that the killer had referred to Black Light as being over 600 pages long. The version held in Keightley’s own archive, accessed by the documentary team, ends at page 394 — just before the account of the murder of John Kilbride, Brady’s second victim.
Dr Keightley died in 2023, but his widow, Joan, granted access to his personal archive, which included the partial manuscript. Keightley once recalled that Brady asked him to deliver a “double sealed parcel” — believed to be the complete autobiography — to a solicitor in London, which ultimately ended up with Mr Makin’s Liverpool-based law firm.
The Moors murders shocked Britain in the 1960s. Alongside Keith, the other victims were Pauline Reade, 16, John Kilbride, 12, Lesley Ann Downey, 10, and Edward Evans, 17. Brady was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1966 for the murders of John, Lesley Ann and Edward. Hindley was also jailed for life for her role in the killings and died in prison in 2002.
In 1987, both admitted to killing Keith and Pauline. They were taken back to Saddleworth Moor to help police locate the remains — but only Pauline's body was ever recovered.
Keith’s mother, Winnie Johnson, died in 2012 at the age of 78, having never fulfilled her long-held wish to give her son a proper Christian burial.