TRUE CRIME EPISODE- THE DENTIST MURDERER

Trigger Warning- this episode has mention of suicide

Here are some further and more accurate details from the story mentioned in the true crime segment for those thirsty for MORE (please note- some details may be in-accurate in the podcast recording).

Colin Howell (born 14th March 1959) was a deeply religious dentist in Coleraine, he was married with 4 children and owned a dental practice in Ballymoney. In the 1980's he embarked on an affair with Hazel Buchanan (a Sunday school teacher at his church), which ended when they were discovered by their spouses.

However, in 1991 they began their affair again, but this time it would end in deadly circumstances. Colin decided to hatch a plan which would make it look like their spouses had died in a suicide pact. Colin gassed Trevor and Lesley (the spouses) as they slept, with carbon monoxide and staged them in the car to make it look like a double suicide.

After the deaths, Colin received a hefty life insurance payout, but lost a considerable amount in a scam. He later went on to believe that this (and the subsequent death of his 22 year old son) were punishments from God and so he was driven to confess all to the police in 2009. Hazel, who at this point had also re-married and had settled into a new life, leaving all of that behind her, found herself dragged into Colin's confession and arrested. Both were found guilty of murder and sentenced to prison.

Recently in early 2025, new evidence has since come to light about Hazel's state of mind at the time of the murder, as she attempts to appeal and reduce her prison sentence.

If you enjoyed the true crime segment of this podcast episode, please let us know in the comments. Team YDB may very well research another one soon. Let us know.

In more traditional YDB style, Ben and Claire also answer an Agony Aunt/Agony Uncle about filling a quiet diary. How would you go about it?

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