Summary
Highlights
In May 1989, John William Cooper appeared on the ITV program Bullseye. Unbeknownst to the audience, he had already murdered two people and would murder two more within three weeks of the filming. His crimes cast a long shadow over a peaceful rural community.
In June 1989, Peter and Gwenda Dixon, a couple from Oxford, were murdered while on holiday in Little Haven, Pembrokeshire. They were found tied up, robbed, and shot in the face with a sawn-off shotgun. Police launched Pembrokeshire's largest ever murder inquiry. Cooper was questioned but not considered a suspect at the time.
Four years prior, in December 1985, Helen and Richard Thomas were found murdered in their home in Scoveston Park, less than 10 miles from Little Haven. Their house was set on fire, and both had been shot. John Cooper lived less than a mile away and had his family provide a false alibi for him.
In March 1996, five teenagers in Milford Haven were attacked by a man with a shotgun and balaclava, resulting in rape and sexual assault. Later that year, repeated burglaries and armed robberies plagued the area. Cooper was eventually linked to 29 burglaries and an armed robbery, where he used a sawn-off shotgun and wore a balaclava, finally putting him on the radar for the murders.
In 2006, a cold case review was launched into the unsolved crimes. Investigators meticulously re-examined evidence. A key breakthrough came in April 2009 when a 20-year-old spot of blood on Cooper's shorts was identified as belonging to Peter Dixon, providing the crucial forensic link.
During interviews, Cooper inadvertently revealed knowledge about a specific shotgun. Examination of this shotgun, found in a hedge and linked to Cooper by a screw, revealed Peter Dixon's blood preserved under painted barrels. An artist's impression of the suspect using Dixon's cash card was matched to Cooper's appearance on Bullseye. Cooper's shorts were found to contain Julie Dixon's DNA in a re-stitched hem.
Further forensic analysis linked fibers from gloves and a balaclava found near Cooper's house to the Milford Haven attack and the Thomas murders. Despite overwhelming evidence, Cooper denied all charges, even blaming his own son. His son, Andrew, had suffered years of abuse and chose to testify against him.
John William Cooper's trial began in March 2011. He was charged with four murders, rape, and sexual assault. The jury heard detailed forensic evidence and chilling testimonies, including from his son. Cooper was found guilty on all charges, and the judge sentenced him to a life sentence, ensuring he would never be released.