TV documentary tells of Mid Wales murder

Hollie Kerrell was killed last year by her controlling husband.

Crime+Investigation will air Murdered by my Husband: The Hollie Kerrell Story, which tells of the murder of the 28-year-old mother-of-three from Knucklas.

The documentary will air on November 25 at 9pm exclusively on Crime+Investigation as part of week-long programming event on the channel to launch its End Abuse Against Women campaign.

The campaign, which aims to educate, engage and fundraise around the issue of domestic abuse against women throughout 2020, launches on the international day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, designated by the United Nations General Assembly to raise awareness of the women around the world who are subject to rape and violence, and how the true scale and nature of the issue is often hidden.

Diana Carter, executive producer for A+E Networks said: “Murdered by my Husband: The Hollie Kerrell Story is a tragic tale of a mother’s life taken in awful circumstances. But horrendously, domestic abuse against women is far more commonplace than many of us might realise.

“As a brand, Crime+Investigation is at the forefront of highlighting issues such as domestic abuse and we’re proud to be telling Hollie’s story to help launch our global campaign that will help to educate the public and support victims in the UK and around the world.”

Police receive a domestic abuse call every 30 seconds and around three abused women commit suicide every week. Two women are killed by an ex or current partner every single week in England and Wales alone.

Investigators

Murdered by my Husband explores how on Sunday, April 22, 2018, 28-year-old Hollie Kerrell disappeared from her home. Her husband Chris had sent texts to friends and family, but no one had seen or heard from her. He told police they had argued and she had stormed off, she said, to start a new life.

Detective Superintendent Anthony Griffiths of Dyfed-Powys Police took charge of the case, and within a matter of hours assembled a 25-strong team of investigators which included Detective Inspector Gareth Grant, family liaison officers DC Alison Fletcher and DC Katie Wheeldon in a bid to find her safe and well.

Under arrest, Chris Kerrell maintained his innocence – until mounting evidence and an unexpected phone call finally exposed his lies, and the truth began to emerge. He had brutally murdered Hollie in her kitchen, then calmly drank the still warm cup of tea she had made for herself – before dumping her body where he believed she would never be found.

The film delves deep inside a murder investigation to reveal how painstaking police work and rapid decision-making by Detectives Anthony Griffiths and Gareth Grant led to the conviction of a man determined to take the ultimate control over his wife.

It also reveals the eight warning signs that abusers typically display before killing their partner. Cutting-edge research by former police officer turned criminologist Dr Jane Monckton-Smith shows the signals that escalate from previous convictions/track record, to abuse to murder.