When beloved children's author Helen Bailey vanished in 2016, the world was gripped by the mystery. But beneath the surface was a chilling truth: her fiancé, Ian Stewart, was not only her killer, but had already taken another life years before. In this episode, we unravel the shocking story of Ian Stewart - a man who murdered his first wife, Diane Stewart, in 2010, staging her death as a tragic medical incident, only to be unmasked as a double killer years later.
We follow the investigation that first treated Diane Stewart’s sudden death as epilepsy-related, and how, after Helen Bailey’s body and that of her loyal dachshund, Boris, were found hidden in a cesspit, police began to see a deadly pattern.
Join us as we examine how Stewart’s deception fooled those closest to him, the crucial evidence that finally brought him to justice, and the legacy of two women whose lives, and a beloved dog, were cruelly stolen by a man they trusted.
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Sources:
Allen, F., Devlin, A., & Knox, P. (2018, August 22). Who Was Helen Bailey? How Was She Murdered by Ian Stewart and What Children’s Books Did She Write? https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2589388/helen-bailey-death-murderer-ian-stewart-childrens-books/
Barrow, G. (2022, February 9). Family of Diane Stewart Pay Tribute to ‘Amazing Mum’ After Murder Trial Verdict. https://www.royston-crow.co.uk/news/obituaries/21989805.family-diane-stewart-pay-tribute-amazing-mum-murder-trial-verdict/
Bradbrook, K. & Shepka, P. (2022, February 2). Diane Stewart: How a Donated Brain Helped Convict a Double Killer. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-60233593
Camber, R., Sinmaz, E., & Robinson, M. (2016, July 11). Police Investigating Disappearance of Helen Bailey Arrest Fiance on Suspicion of Murder. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3685026/Police-investigating-disappearance-children-s-author-arrest-man-55-suspicion-murder-disposing-body.html
Fruen, L. & Vonow, B. (2017, February 23). Ian Stewart Slammed by Judge for ‘Heinous’ Financially-Motivated Murder of Fiance Helen Bailey - As He Faces Death Behind Bars. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2934788/ian-stewart-helen-bailey-murder-jail-sentence/
Halford, J. (2017, February 22). Helen Bailey: A Life Shaped by Death. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-38505358
Helen Bailey. (n.d.). Helen Bailey - Wikipedia
Helen Bailey Death: Author ‘May Have Been Alive’ in Cesspit. (2017, January 11). https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-38583555
Hughes, J (Editor). (2023, February 10). Ian Stewa
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