Kelly Ann Bates was described as a bubbly girl. Her mother said that she didn’t walk, she bounced. Her friends were older than she was so it was no surprise when she gravitated towards James Patterson Smith, born around 1948 and 30 years her senior.
She was first to meet him when she was only 14 years old and was babysitting for one of Smith’s friends. By the time she reached 16 and had left school, she had moved in with Smith. The relationship ended on April 16th, 1996, when 17 year old Kelly Ann was murdered by Smith in the home she shared with him in Manchester.
Detective Sergeant Joseph Monaghan of the Greater Manchester Police said:
“I have been in the police force for 15 years and never seen a case as horrific as this.”
Smith hated …show more content…
But she always went back to Smith. On these occasions, her parents noticed that she had unexplained bruises and that she had lost a lot of weight. She didn’t seem to be taking care of herself and was not bathing. She had also lost her vivaciousness and had become withdrawn. When her mother asked Kelly Ann where the bruises had come from, Kelly told her that they were from accidents.
Contact between Kelly and her parents became more and more infrequent. In March 1996, they received some cards from Kelly Ann, an anniversary card and a birthday card. But strangely, they were not written in Kelly Ann’s handwriting and Margaret Bates’ misgivings deepened further. When Kelly Ann’s brother went to Smith’s to see his sister, he was told that she was not in. When a worried neighbor asked about Kelly Ann, she was shown sight of her very briefly through the bedroom window.
On April 16th, 1995, Smith walked into the police station in Manchester. He said that he had accidentally killed his girlfriend in an argument. She had been in the bath at the time and had swallowed a lot of water. He had tried to revive her but couldn’t. He said that he hadn’t been worried at first because she often pretended to be
She was first to meet him when she was only 14 years old and was babysitting for one of Smith’s friends. By the time she reached 16 and had left school, she had moved in with Smith. The relationship ended on April 16th, 1996, when 17 year old Kelly Ann was murdered by Smith in the home she shared with him in Manchester.
Detective Sergeant Joseph Monaghan of the Greater Manchester Police said:
“I have been in the police force for 15 years and never seen a case as horrific as this.”
Smith hated …show more content…
But she always went back to Smith. On these occasions, her parents noticed that she had unexplained bruises and that she had lost a lot of weight. She didn’t seem to be taking care of herself and was not bathing. She had also lost her vivaciousness and had become withdrawn. When her mother asked Kelly Ann where the bruises had come from, Kelly told her that they were from accidents.
Contact between Kelly and her parents became more and more infrequent. In March 1996, they received some cards from Kelly Ann, an anniversary card and a birthday card. But strangely, they were not written in Kelly Ann’s handwriting and Margaret Bates’ misgivings deepened further. When Kelly Ann’s brother went to Smith’s to see his sister, he was told that she was not in. When a worried neighbor asked about Kelly Ann, she was shown sight of her very briefly through the bedroom window.
On April 16th, 1995, Smith walked into the police station in Manchester. He said that he had accidentally killed his girlfriend in an argument. She had been in the bath at the time and had swallowed a lot of water. He had tried to revive her but couldn’t. He said that he hadn’t been worried at first because she often pretended to be