Sun Hill Serial Killer

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The Sun Hill Serial Killer was a major storyline from the ITV police procedural drama The Bill . They were known on screen as the "River Murders", due to the bodies being left on the banks of the River Thames. The storyline spanned several months, from July 2002 to January 2003, with cast regular Cass Rickman (played by Suzanne Maddock), killed off at the denouement in December 2002. It also served as the exit storyline for DC Duncan Lennox, who transferred from Sun Hill Police Station to the Murder Investigation Team during the plot. The storyline concluded with the killer's capture in 2003 after they kidnapped Acting DI Samantha Nixon. It was the first of several serial killer storylines in the show. [1]

Contents

The victims

All the victims of the killer featured prominently in various episodes.

The suspects

The killer's methods

Pat Kitson targeted people who were both known to Sun Hill station through the courts, and people her brother interacted or bonded with. Once tracked down, Kitson strangled her victims, hacked off their hair and dumped the bodies on the banks of the River Thames.

Legacy

The high ratings of the Serial Killer storyline spanned two similar storylines, in which other members of the cast were written out. The Sun Hill Gay Serial Killer storyline saw the exit of PC Lance Powell [1] and the Sun Hill Sniper storyline saw out long-time favourite PC Kerry Young. The storyline was also referenced when Nixon's daughter went missing in season 20. She stated it was the most famous case she investigated during her career as a police officer to that point.

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References

  1. 1 2 Shelley, Jim (3 December 2005). "Call the cops". The Guardian . London, England. Retrieved 20 February 2013.