Tomorrow marks 20 years since the murders of mother and daughter Lin and Megan Russell by former Maidstone man Michael Stone. The heinous crime shook the nation. But for Stone’s sister, the anniversary will mark one of the country’s worst miscarriages of
Barbara Stone has a calm but determined look as she tells how she will never give up the fight to clear her brother’s name.
Michael Stone, now aged 55, is in a prison cell 300 miles from where we meet in a Kent hotel.
Ms Stone rarely sees him but admits she thinks about him – and what she regards as a gross miscarriage of justice – every day.
Stone was jailed for life in 1998, after being convicted of the murder of Lin and Megan Russell and the attempted murder of Josie Russell, then aged nine, in a remote country lane near Canterbury on July 9, 1996.
Mrs Russell, 45, and six-yearold Megan and their dog, Lucy, were killed, but despite suffering terrible head injuries, Josie miraculously survived.
The family were tied up and savagely beaten with a hammer in what police said was an attempted robbery as they made their way home from school.
Stone, who spent his early years in Wheeler Street, Maidstone, denied responsibilty but was convicted.
Despite being behind bars for the past 19 years since his arrest he still protests his innocence. He is serving three life sentences and must spend at least 25 years in prison.
He was found guilty after drug addict – and now convicted murderer – Damian Daley gave evidence for the prosecution, telling the court how Stone had confessed to him in prison that he had carried out the dreadful attacks.
Another prisoner, Barry Thompson, admitted lying about an alleged confession by Stone, who was living in Gillingham at the time, but has always viewed Maidstone as his home town.
Despite the convictions being quashed in 2001, Stone – who attended Vinters Boys’ School after leaving the former East Borough school in Union Street – was found guilty again following a retrial on the basis of Daley’s evidence.
Ms Stone, 54, who lives in Chatham, still hopes advances in DNA technology will clear her brother’s name.
Levi Bellfield had been linked to the Russell killings after finally admitting to raping and murdering Milling Dowler, a crime he had previously denied.
Bellfield has since disputed making that confession but it prompted the Metropolitan Police to liaise with several police forces about other cold cases.
Ms Stone said: “We are pinning our hopes on advances in DNA technology.
“I’m not saying Bellfield is the killer, but we need to test his DNA against that found at the scene. Advances in technology could lead to something.”
“There was no DNA evidence at the scene to put my brother there and even the e-fit issued at the time looks like Bellfield.
“I think the time is right to speculate on this now. The person who did this is still out there.
“A car matching the description of one Bellfield had access to was seen in the area, so I do think the DNA from the crime scene should be tested against him and the thousands of others on the national database. This should be the least that’s done.”
Stone’s smart and articulate sister still maintains hope that one day the real killer will confess, or if new evidence comes to light the case will be re-investigated and reviewed.
She added: “Kent Police should not be involved in the fresh investigation, it should be handled by another force.
“I am very hopeful the truth will come out.”