A ritualistic killing that shocked a Welsh island community is the focus of a new seven-part podcast from BBC Sounds.
The Anglesey Vampire Killer revisits the 2001 murder of 90-year-old Mabel Leyshon, who was found stabbed to death in her home in Llanfairpwll on Ynys Môn. The case became known for its occult elements, which investigators at North Wales Police said were unlike anything they had encountered before.
A quarter of a century on, the circumstances remain disturbing. There was no clear motive, but officers established that the attack had been premeditated. Fear spread quickly through the village as residents tried to come to terms with what had happened on their doorstep.
The series is part of BBC Sounds’ Crime Next Door strand and examines how a close-knit community attempted to make sense of the unthinkable. It also revisits the investigation and the eventual identification of the perpetrator behind what has been described as a dark, almost vampiric crime.
The podcast is presented by Meic Parry, producer and presenter of The Crossbow Killer for the BBC. Across seven episodes, he explores the unanswered questions that have lingered for 25 years and why the case continues to resonate locally.
The Anglesey Vampire Killer was commissioned by BBC Cymru Wales for BBC Sounds The first two episodes are now available on BBC Sounds, with further episodes released weekly.
