Rettendon Murders

[Benfleet A1]

So no tip?

Yeah, don't look in the back.

 

[Mad Cyril]

This is fairly typical of the content on YouTube

 

[GBJ]

O'Mahoney said he was one of their gang after the murders. But then distanced himself years later, but said he had dealings or incidents with them. Some Basildon faces I know said he was never part of their gang.

I was told the same thing. I was also told that BOM was quite the embellisher. He’d never have sold all those books and made that B-movie otherwise.

They said Tucker, Tate and Rolfe was the gang. They said those 3 had dealings with many criminals. About the closest person to become one of their gang was Nipper Ellis, but he fell in and out with them too much, normally due to Tucker and Tate's mad drug binges, when they would do something bad to him.

Nipper is the only one I’ve ever thought had any credibility... until he claimed it was his old man that shot them, which I don’t buy.

 

[GBJ]

As me and @rigsby pondered a few weeks ago, I’d love to know why the official story doesn’t sync with the facts.

For example, at the time of the shooting, the police believe that Rolfe was shot first. He wouldn’t have known anything about it, and died with his hand on the steering wheel and his foot on the pedal.

Numerous pictures of the scene, show that the wheels of the car were facing straight, in the directon of the gate.

The car is then removed from the lane via a tow truck and winch, and taken to what I assume was the police impound.

When the police took the photos, at the impound, the steering wheel was now on a full lock, but Rolfe’s hand was still on the wheel.

Why would the old bill - or whoever else - move the steering wheel, and then reposition Rolfe’s hand?

I’ve tried applying Occam’s Razor to it, but I cannot figure out why the police would need to move the wheel, or why they’d tamper with a what could be described as a crime scene.

 

[Napster]

As me and @rigsby pondered a few weeks ago, I’d love to know why the official story doesn’t sync with the facts.

For example, at the time of the shooting, the police believe that Rolfe was shot first. He wouldn’t have known anything about it, and died with his hand on the steering wheel and his foot on the pedal.

Numerous pictures of the scene, show that the wheels of the car were facing straight, in the directon of the gate.

The car is then removed from the lane via a tow truck and winch, and taken to what I assume was the police impound.

When the police took the photos, at the impound, the steering wheel was now on a full lock, but Rolfe’s hand was still on the wheel.

Why would the old bill - or whoever else - move the steering wheel, and then reposition Rolfe’s hand?

I’ve tried applying Occam’s Razor to it, but I cannot figure out why the police would need to move the wheel, or why they’d tamper with a what could be described as a crime scene.

Because the police are a) corrupt; or b) stupid

I always err with b) due the police officers I've known.

 

[Chalky]

Because the police are a) corrupt; or b) stupid

I always err with b) due the police officers I've known.

Simple as this really. I think a) corrupt is much more prevalent in USA because of the way their system is designed, don't get me wrong, we equally have our fair share.

But you only got to watch the Yorkshire ripper documentary about Peter Sutcliffe on netflix which demonstrates how desperately inadequate the police work was. It was comical at times, just so arrogant. Lead investigator George Oldfield should have been tried for negligence.

 

[rigsby]

Because the police are a) corrupt; or b) stupid

I always err with b) due the police officers I've known.

In my experience personally and professionally A is often the result of B

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

In my experience personally and professionally A is often the result of B

Whilst i agree that over the decades the OB have had many 'rotten apples in the barrel', there were also many decent ones.
My late Dad was in the old Southend C.I.D in the 60's, before being transferred to Brentwood's Regional Crime squad, who achieved a great crime detection rate back then in the 70's.
Charlie Lowe who was one the first 'big time' villains who turned Supergrass, was 'looked after' by my dad & others before his trial.
he was so 'high profile' that for his Court appearances at Southend, he was brought up into the Courthouse through the tunnel from the Police station, because there was a genuine fear that if he stepped outside the building, a hitman may have been waiting.
When my dad retired in 81, many testaments were read out from colleagues etc. And there was also one from Charlie Lowe who stated he was the most honest & trustworthy copper he'd ever met. I only ever heard dad swear once in his life, & he was as straight as a spirit level.

 

[jackj13]

BOM seems to know a lot about the case but was never part of the gang and to me just seems to be in it for the publicity and money. Books, films and a new documentary I watched a few years ago. Named The Truth he bigged it up as this was the last thing he would release on the subject and reveal who really did it and what really happened. Low and behold he just announced it was the guys that were already in prison!

But one of those cases where some things just don't seem to add up but I don't think the real truth will ever come out, or exactly how it went down. I see Steve Nipper Ellis is now saying it was his dad.

 

[rigsby]

Whilst i agree that over the decades the OB have had many 'rotten apples in the barrel', there were also many decent ones.
My late Dad was in the old Southend C.I.D in the 60's, before being transferred to Brentwood's Regional Crime squad, who achieved a great crime detection rate back then in the 70's.
Charlie Lowe who was one the first 'big time' villains who turned Supergrass, was 'looked after' by my dad & others before his trial.
he was so 'high profile' that for his Court appearances at Southend, he was brought up into the Courthouse through the tunnel from the Police station, because there was a genuine fear that if he stepped outside the building, a hitman may have been waiting.
When my dad retired in 81, many testaments were read out from colleagues etc. And there was also one from Charlie Lowe who stated he was the most honest & trustworthy copper he'd ever met. I only ever heard dad swear once in his life, & he was as straight as a spirit level.

LOL Charlie Lowe. King of the Squealers.

I certainly appreciate people like your dad but like all uniform jobs, the incompetence and the corruption gets covered up. The higher up the ladder you go the bigger the crime/deceit grows.

A trusted friend who gave evidence at the Grenfell Inquiry tells me the most senior officers in the LFB lied under oath because they didn't listen on the night to middle ranking officers. The very plan suggested to them will now be the High rise policy in the future. Remember the Chief who conveniently retired early said "I wouldn't do anything different" That was an insult to the dead.

As for bad apples I have also seen what happens when you try to expose them within your service. So i fully understand when a low ranking or young police officer chooses to turn a blind eye or not question the people above them. Its the system that needs changing and until its does the wrong apples will always be around.

To get back and link this to Rettendon. The question always is how much of the bad policing is incompetence and what is deliberate.

Top of the list is not establishing a time of death. The pathologist in the case has several complaints against her for incompetency. But to not take body temperatures etc was beyond that. If someone gets shot in say a bank raid there would be all sorts of avenues to establish an exact time of death. But 3 men in a parked range rover. The idea that it must have been at 19:00hrs because "thats when the stopped using their phones" is laughable.

The 2 farmers spent 15 minutes defrosting their land rover that morning but are able to peer through the clear window of the range Rover and see the bodies....Huge red flag.

Not sure if people know this but Essex police set up a bizarre undercover operation to try and trap Micky Steel. They got 2 coppers from Northern Ireland to pose as IRA men. They phoned Steel and Pat Tates girlfriend and demanded money from a drugs deal. You can listen to part of it as Steel recorded their conversation. He obviously knew it was total bollocks but what about Tates girlfriend. She was actually his ex when it happened so what was that all about.

Craig Rolfes ex took until March to remember he was going to meet Micky the pilot on the night of the murders. Seeing as the family liaison officer was shagging her by then I find that very convenient. She ended up with him so its not just rumour.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Kev was in charge at Southend court cells around this time, and on duty on the day of the trial. There were snipers on the roofs of buildings around the court as Whomes and Steel were brought in - they couldn't be housed at Southend as they were Cat A cases.

He's in absolutely no doubt that they committed this crime - based on discussions heard and conversations taken part in. Apparently everything was thrown into mad confusion when (I think it was) Whomes' twin brother turned up at court - everyone thought Whomes himself had somehow managed to get out!

As to the car, the steering wheel - and, consequently, the wheels - would have surely have had to be moved to get the vehicle on the low loader?

 

[GBJ]

As to the car, the steering wheel - and, consequently, the wheels - would have surely have had to be moved to get the vehicle on the low loader?

Possibly. Although if that was the case, why (re)place Rolfe’s hand on the wheel?

They’re essentially photographing an altered crime scene, no?

 

[rigsby]

As me and @rigsby pondered a few weeks ago, I’d love to know why the official story doesn’t sync with the facts.

For example, at the time of the shooting, the police believe that Rolfe was shot first. He wouldn’t have known anything about it, and died with his hand on the steering wheel and his foot on the pedal.

Numerous pictures of the scene, show that the wheels of the car were facing straight, in the directon of the gate.

The car is then removed from the lane via a tow truck and winch, and taken to what I assume was the police impound.

When the police took the photos, at the impound, the steering wheel was now on a full lock, but Rolfe’s hand was still on the wheel.

Why would the old bill - or whoever else - move the steering wheel, and then reposition Rolfe’s hand?

I’ve tried applying Occam’s Razor to it, but I cannot figure out why the police would need to move the wheel, or why they’d tamper with a what could be described as a crime scene.

It was taken to South Woodham police station. By coincidence the very police station that Paul Betts used to pop into for up dates on his daughters case. You never know he may even have helped recreate the original crime scene by putting hands and feet in the right places.

Only just found out that the sweet wrappers and ring pull found in the back footwell weren't tested either......The official story is that Mick Steel was sitting in that very space. Probably not important.

 

[jackj13]

It was taken to South Woodham police station. By coincidence the very police station that Paul Betts used to pop into for up dates on his daughters case. You never know he may even have helped recreate the original crime scene by putting hands and feet in the right places.

Only just found out that the sweet wrappers and ring pull found in the back footwell weren't tested either......The official story is that Mick Steel was sitting in that very space. Probably not important.

One thing that's never made sense to me is why not take the scene of crime pictures where they found the RR before it was moved? Obviously you can't take the one's where they're lying on a slab but quite a few of them are them just sitting in the car. That doesn't at up to me.

 

[rigsby]

One thing that's never made sense to me is why not take the scene of crime pictures where they found the RR before it was moved? Obviously you can't take the one's where they're lying on a slab but quite a few of them are them just sitting in the car. That doesn't at up to me.

None of it makes sense. The conviction relies on Darren Nicholls. He changed his story several times, includding how and where he dropped Jack Whomes off....Your not going to forget that are you.

He also claims he was car trader but cant remember whether the getaway vehicle was a saloon or an estate....A car he had driven for 2 months. The same car that produced no mud, no blood, no DNA, no fingerprints or gun residue to back up his story. Nor did the tyres match the tracks in the lane.

Would the killers of 3 men use their own car, worth about £600 as a getaway. Then keep it and hope the police don't find one tiny speck that would send you down for life.

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

Yep. Grass Darren Nicholls could hardly tell the truth about anything. And he wasn't good at lying, as he was one of those liars that would forget the previous lies, because they were lies. It's much easier to recount a story of events and be consistent, if its true. He clearly made up his story to get off other charges and avoid prison time. The police wanted that conviction so bad, they went with his bs.

 

[Usual_Suspect 2]

I thought the pictures on the BoM site showed the bodies in the car in the lane before the car was moved?

As with most of these stories, I doubt the truth will every come out.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

I thought the pictures on the BoM site showed the bodies in the car in the lane before the car was moved?

They did, and he also managed to get hold of the ones of them lying on the slabs in the morgue somehow.

 

[jackj13]

I thought the pictures on the BoM site showed the bodies in the car in the lane before the car was moved?

As with most of these stories, I doubt the truth will every come out.

There were a few but just didn't seem to be that many, that's if they all got released. As in the pictures with the doors open showing the bodies. If a credible investigation you'd want to take them before anything is disturbed.

 

[rigsby]

There were a few but just didn't seem to be that many, that's if they all got released. As in the pictures with the doors open showing the bodies. If a credible investigation you'd want to take them before anything is disturbed.

There are only a couple in the lane but they are at a distance front and rear. As you say none of the inside scene. One that is rarely shown is taken from the front and shows a pool of blood near the front passenger side headlight. How did that get there or was the car pushed back?

Tucker in particular looks like he has been placed in the car when either dead or unconscious. legs crossed, arms folded in and phone sitting on lap.head slumped towards where they say two blasts of a shot gun came from.

Rolfe has his left foot on the brake one hand on the steering wheel and one on the gear stick with the car in drive...After two shots to the head. mmmmmm and who turned the ignition off?

The official story is all the shell casings found were all fired from the same gun....Therefore one gun used. MY shot gun did not have an ejecter, so it could have been fired twice and the shells would come with me. I could fire twice put the empties in my pocket and reload and shoot again without leaving any traceable evidence.

So even that part of the official story falls apart in seconds for a competent defence team.