13 Facts You Need to Know About Levi Bellfield: The Bus Stop Stalker

In the shadowy realm of criminal history, few figures send shivers down the spine quite like Levi Bellfield.

Behind the aliases of the Bus Stop Killer and the Hammer Man, Bellfield weaved a chilling tapestry of terror on the outskirts of London.

His crimes, characterised by a sinister signature, claimed the lives of at least three women and left a fourth clinging to survival.

This is an excerpt from the new book ’21st Century Serial Killers Volume 1′, out now.

A Multitude of Weapons

Bellfield’s modus operandi unfolded like a macabre dance. He would stalk his unsuspecting victims, fuelled by a toxic blend of obsession and rejection.

When his advances were spurned, he unleashed his wrath, employing his car as a weapon, a hammer, and his own hands to strike them down with brutal force.

In the aftermath of these vehicular assaults, the misogynistic predator would descend upon his wounded prey, subjecting them to unspeakable acts of rape and violence until their lives were snuffed out.

Consecutive Life Sentences

The wheels of justice caught up with Bellfield in 2008, when he was found guilty of his heinous crimes.

Condemned to consecutive life sentences, he became a captive of the penal system, forever removed from society.

However, even behind bars, the enigmatic killer retained a chilling power over the authorities.

Like a psychology PhD waiting to unfold, Bellfield revelled in his combative and manipulative nature, keeping the true extent of his malevolence hidden from the prying eyes of investigators.

Unaccounted Victims

As the years passed, the haunting question lingered: How many more victims lay in Bellfield’s wake?

The echoes of unsolved cases dating back to 1980 cast a lingering shadow, suggesting a sinister web of connections yet to be untangled.

While authorities grappled with the enigma that was Levi Bellfield, the true extent of his reign of terror remained tantalizingly out of reach, leaving the world to wonder about the untold horrors that lay hidden in the depths of his depraved psyche.

Even as of 2023, he continues to be linked to missing persons cases and confessed to a 1999 disappearance of a young Asian girl.

Makings of a Monster

Levi Bellfield was born on May 17, 1968, in Isleworth, London. On the surface, he appeared to be a relatively normal individual, working as a bouncer and wheel clamper.

However, beneath this facade lay a violent and controlling man who harboured a deep hatred for women – especially blonde women, who he would target as his victims.

Bellfield’s murderous spree began in March 2002, when he brutally attacked 13-year-old Amanda Dowler, known as Milly.

Milly went missing while walking home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. Her remains were discovered six months later in a wooded area, 25 miles away in Yateley.

Bellfield was not initially connected to her murder, and it would be years before he was finally brought to justice for this heinous crime.

Hammer Murder

In February 2003, Bellfield struck again, targeting Marsha McDonnell, a 19-year-old student.

Marsha was walking home from a night out with friends when she was viciously attacked by Bellfield, who bludgeoned her with a hammer.

Tragically, Marsha succumbed to her injuries two days later, marking Bellfield’s second confirmed murder.

Stalking His Victims

In the hazy twilight of May 2004, the quietude of Isleworth was shattered by a heinous act of brutality.

It was on that fateful day that 18-year-old Kate Sheedy found herself caught in the crosshairs of Levi Bellfield’s insidious intentions.

Unbeknownst to her, Bellfield had been lurking in the shadows, a predator patiently stalking his prey.

A sense of unease washed over Kate as she noticed the ominous presence of a car trailing her every move.

Instinctively, she quickened her pace, seeking solace in the distance that separated her from the vehicle.

Little did she know that her instincts were not unfounded, for Bellfield’s malevolent gaze was fixed upon her.

Survivor’s Testament

With a chilling intent, Bellfield seized the moment. In a calculated act of violence, he steered his car directly toward Kate, an instrument of terror hurtling toward its mark.

The sound of screeching tires pierced the air as the vehicle mercilessly struck her, casting her body to the unforgiving pavement.

But Bellfield’s assault did not end there. In a horrifying display of callousness, he reversed his car, an embodiment of evil in reverse, driving over Kate’s broken form once more.

Kate’s body bore the scars of Bellfield’s wrath. A punctured lung, shattered spine, and ruptured organs testified to the severity of her injuries.

Yet, amidst the throes of pain and despair, a flicker of resilience burned within her. Summoning her remaining strength, she reached for her phone, desperately dialling the numbers that held the promise of salvation.

Emergency personnel swiftly arrived, whisking her away from the scene of the vicious attack.

In a testament to her unwavering determination, Kate emerged as a beacon of courage. She stood tall in the courtroom, her voice unwavering as she recounted the horrors she had endured.

Her testimony, a resolute act of defiance, played a pivotal role in ensuring that Levi Bellfield would face the consequences of his malevolence, consigned to the confines of a prison cell.

Murder at Twickenham Green

His next victim and third confirmed murder was 22-year-old Amélie Delagrange on August 19, 2004, a French student living in London.

Like Marsha, Amélie was attacked with a hammer while walking home late at night. She, too, would not survive her encounter with Bellfield.

She was found on Twickenham Green later the same night. Within 24 hours, police established she had been killed by the same person who killed Marsha.

On that fateful day, the ever-watchful CCTV cameras captured Delagrange as she ventured towards Twickenham Green.

She had missed her bus stop, perhaps presenting an opportunity for Bellfield to strike.

The footage indicated a potential encounter between them, a fleeting interaction that occurred moments before Amélie’s life would be irrevocably shattered.

Links to Further Attacks

In addition to the three confirmed murders, Levi Bellfield has been linked to several other attacks and attempted abductions.

Among these was the attempted abduction of 11-year-old Rachel Cowles in 2002, just a day before Milly Dowler’s disappearance.

He was also charged with the abduction and false imprisonment of 17-year-old Anna-Maria Rennie in 2001, and the attempted murder of 39-year-old Irma Dragoshi in 2003.

Under Police Surveillance

Under the watchful gaze of the authorities, Bellfield cruised through the streets in his van, like a predator seeking his next prey.

His sinister intentions were evident as he engaged in conversations with young girls waiting at bus stops, a veneer of false charm masking his malevolence.

Unbeknownst to him, every move he made was being carefully observed by the police.

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Capturing the Monster

Swiftly, the wheels of justice began to turn. Levi Bellfield found himself in the clutches of the law, arrested in the early hours of November 22, 2004, under suspicion of Delagrange’s murder.

As the evidence mounted, the gravity of his crimes became undeniable. Just three days later, he faced additional charges of rape in Surrey and West London, further cementing the chilling reality of his actions.

The web of Bellfield’s atrocities continued to unravel. On December 9, 2004, he was charged with assaulting a woman in Twickenham, a heinous act that had transpired between 1995 and 1997.

With each charge, the walls closed in around him, tightening his grip on the truth he had tried so desperately to conceal. He was placed under supervision while the investigation continued.

The march towards justice reached a pivotal moment on March 2, 2006. Bellfield was once again taken into custody, this time facing charges of Delagrange’s murder.

The extent of his brutality was laid bare as the court also accused him of the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy coupled with grievous bodily harm inflicted upon Irma Dragoshi.

Finally, on May 25, 2006, the final blow fell upon Bellfield as he was charged with the murder of Marsha McDonnell.

As the wheels of justice turned, Bellfield’s dark secrets were dragged into the harsh light of scrutiny.

In February 2008, Bellfield was found guilty of the murders of Marsha McDonnell and Amélie Delagrange and was sentenced to life in prison.

Whole Life Tariff x2

It would be another three years before Levi Bellfield faced trial for the murder of Milly Dowler.

In 2011, he was finally found guilty and sentenced to a whole-life tariff, ensuring that he would never be released from prison.

In addition to his three confirmed murders, he has since been linked to the June 1980 murder of Patsy Joyce Morris, who was strangled with a ligature and left on a remote path.

Other murders he has been linked to are the 1990 murder of 51-year-old Judith Gold in Hampstead and the double murder of Lin Russell and her daughter Megan in 1996.

In the case Russell murders, another man, Michael Stone was convicted but has since said he took the fall for Bellfield.

In October 2022, Bellfield confessed to being involved in the 1999 disappearance of Elizabeth Chau and the 2000 disappearance of Lola Shenkoya, both of whom have never been found.

In mid-2023, Bellfield was in discussion with police to show them where he had buried Chau. The case is ongoing.

Levi Bellfield is Britain’s Worst Modern Serial Killer

If Bellfield is found to be responsible for the murders of Morris, Gold, the Russell’s, Chau and Shenkoya, he will be one of Britain’s most prolific serial killers.

In the years since Bellfield’s capture, new details have continued to emerge about his twisted psyche and the extent of his crimes.

After his conviction, Bellfield converted to Islam and changed his name to Yusuf Rahim.

However, this conversion did little to quell his violent tendencies, as he continued to exhibit violent behaviour in prison, attacking prison staff and fellow inmates.

Bellfield’s victims were not limited to those he murdered. He also had a history of domestic violence and abuse toward his partners and children.

Some of his former partners have come forward, recounting their experiences with Bellfield and describing him as a controlling, manipulative, and physically abusive man.

Levi Bellfield remains the only person in British history to receive two whole life tariffs.

This is an excerpt from the new book ’21st Century Serial Killers Volume 1′, out now.