Background of the Russell Family Tragedy
Dr Lin Russell and her six-year-old daughter, Megan, died a few months after moving from Dyffryn Nantlle to Kent.
The man convicted of murdering Lin and Megan Russell, who maintains his innocence, is set to provide new DNA samples exactly 30 years after the two were beaten to death.
The bodies of the 45-year-old mother and her young daughter were discovered in Kent on 9 July 1996, while another daughter, Josie, then nine years old, was left appearing to have died from serious head injuries.
The family had recently relocated from Gwynedd to Kent, and after the attacks, Josie returned with her father to live in Dyffryn Nantlle, where she now works as an artist.
Conviction and Legal Proceedings
Michael Stone received three life sentences but the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is reconsidering the case evidence following reports that another individual confessed to the murders.
Stone will provide new DNA samples on Thursday.
Review of Forensic Evidence in the Russell Murders
Dr Russell and her two young daughters were walking along a rural lane in Chillenden before the attack, during which they were bound, blindfolded, and struck with a claw hammer.
Initial belief was that Josie had also died, as her father, Dr Shaun Russell, was told on the day of the attack.
However, police at the scene noticed Josie was moving and had survived.
The murders and the campaign to catch the killer received worldwide media attention.
Michael Stone has consistently denied attacking Lin, Megan, and Josie Russell, despite being found guilty twice of murder and attempted murder.
Stone was convicted of two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder on two occasions: first in 1998 and then in 2001 after the Court of Appeal quashed the original conviction due to doubts over a prosecution witness.
Applications to the CCRC were refused in 2010, along with a judicial review request in 2011.
Stone and his legal team have maintained his innocence from the outset.
In 2023, the CCRC confirmed Stone's convictions would be reviewed following reports that multiple murderer Levi Bellfield—who killed schoolgirl Millie Dowler among others—had confessed to the Kent crimes.
Stone's lawyer, Paul Bacon, responded at the time:
"While Mr Bellfield has confessed [his guilt] repeatedly, the only real decision will be if his or someone else's DNA profile emerges among the items yet to be properly tested."
Dr Shaun Russell with Lin, Megan, and Josie in a 1996 photo shared by Kent Police
With forensic science having advanced significantly since the original police investigation, Stone's legal team hopes new tests could identify DNA from another individual and prove his innocence.
In 2021, Stone's lawyers suggested DNA evidence might be found on a shoe print at the attack scene.
At that time, his lawyer said:
"It was truly a key piece of evidence. It was used to identify one of the individuals. It was not just a piece of evidence—it was a murder weapon."
Lawyers state that Stone's DNA has not been found on key evidence items during recent tests, including the shoe print.
The CCRC confirmed Stone will provide new DNA samples during a prison visit on Thursday, exactly 30 years to the day since the attacks on Lin and Megan Russell.
Josie had to relearn how to speak during her recovery after the attack and has since made a name for herself as a textile artist.
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