'Scalp Hunter' Serial Killer John Sweeney Dies in Prison Without Revealing Where He Hid Victims' Heads

Notorious British killer John Sweeney has died in prison without ever revealing where he hid the missing heads and other body parts of two women he murdered and dismembered.

Sweeney, 69, died at HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire on August 14 while serving a whole-life sentence for the murders of his former girlfriends Melissa Halstead and Paula Fields.

The killer's death means crucial questions surrounding his victims may never be answered, including the whereabouts of their missing body parts.

Killer Dies Behind Bars

Sweeney was convicted at the Old Bailey in 2011 for murdering American model Melissa Halstead and British woman Paula Fields.

He died while serving a whole-life prison sentence. His death in custody is being investigated by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, as is standard procedure. Sweeney reportedly died from cancer.

Halstead, 33, was killed in 1990. Her dismembered remains were discovered in a canal in Rotterdam, Netherlands. However, her identity was not established until 18 years later, when DNA testing confirmed who she was. Her head and hands were never recovered.

Victims' Missing Body Parts

Sweeney's second known murder victim, 31-year-old Paula Fields, was killed more than a decade later. Parts of Fields' dismembered body were discovered in six holdalls floating in London's Regent's Canal in February 2001. However, her head, hands and feet were never found.

Despite his conviction, Sweeney never revealed where he had disposed of the missing remains, leaving investigators and the victims' families without answers. The two murders formed the basis of a disturbing case that exposed Sweeney's history of violence against women.

Violent History Revealed

Sweeney had previously attacked another former girlfriend, nurse Delia Balmer, with an axe in 1994. Balmer survived after a neighbour intervened, and she later documented her experience in a memoir. Her story was subsequently adapted into the ITV drama Until I Kill You.

The attack was one of several incidents that demonstrated Sweeney's violent behaviour towards women. Police also uncovered hundreds of disturbing paintings, drawings and poems at his north London home.

'Scalp Hunter' Paintings

Some of Sweeney's artwork depicted women being attacked or mutilated. One painting reportedly featured a bloodied axe and referred to him as the 'Scalp Hunter', a nickname that later became associated with his crimes.

The discovery of the artwork provided investigators with a disturbing insight into Sweeney's violent fantasies. His case later attracted renewed attention following the release of Until I Kill You, which portrayed Balmer's ordeal and her eventual survival.

Other Murders Suspected

Police also investigated whether Sweeney could have been responsible for other disappearances. Several of his former girlfriends had vanished, leading detectives to examine whether he might have been involved in their deaths.

However, Sweeney was never charged with additional murders and was convicted only of killing Halstead and Fields. Dutch authorities also investigated claims concerning possible links to the deaths of two German men, although these allegations did not result in further murder convictions.

Secrets Taken To The Grave

With Sweeney now dead, investigators may never discover what happened to the missing remains of Halstead and Fields.

The killer's death comes decades after the women were murdered and leaves their families without answers about where crucial parts of their bodies were taken.

A Prison Service spokesperson described Sweeney's crimes as horrific and expressed sympathy for the victims and their loved ones. The circumstances surrounding his death will now be examined by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman.

But one mystery remains unresolved. John Sweeney died behind bars without revealing where he hid the missing heads of his victims, taking those secrets to the grave.