The First Victim: A True-Life Story Inside Fred and Rose West’s House of Horrors
Fred and Rose West are among Britain’s most notorious serial killers. Their crimes stunned the nation and continue to linger in its collective memory. But long before their Cromwell Street “House of Horrors” was uncovered, Fred had already been killing savagely—beginning with his first wife, Rena Costello, and her daughter, Charmaine.
This article looks at the secret origins of their murder spree, the revelations made in Netflix’s Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story, and some of the questions that remain all these years later. It’s an essential peek at how these early crimes unfolded — and why it matters to remember the first victims.
Rena Costello: Fred West’s First Victim And The Scene Of Britain’s Biggest Murders
Fred West’s history of violence stretched back long before he met Rose. His first wife, Catherine “Rena” Costello, was a young Scottish bride who married Fred in 1962. Rena already had a daughter, Charmaine, and later they had another daughter, Anne Marie.
But their marriage was plagued by Fred’s abuse, infidelity, and violent fits of rage. Rena divorced Fred in 1969, having left him because of his worsening violence. Two years later, she disappeared. Her whereabouts remained a mystery for more than two decades.
It wasn’t until Fred’s 1994 arrest that the truth came out – he’d strangled Rena, then cut her body into pieces before burying her in a field by Kempley. Just lying next to her was Ann McFall, another woman whom Fred had killed. Rena was Fred’s first known murder, but, unfortunately, not his last.
Charmaine West Lost Silence Child
Rena’s daughter from a previous relationship, Charmaine, had been only eight when she was killed. After Rena’s departure, Charmaine lived with Fred, who was now in a new relationship with Rose.
In 1971, when Fred was in prison for theft, Rose reportedly murdered Charmaine in a fit of violence. Fred buried Charmaine’s corpse under the kitchen floor at 25 Midland Road.
When Rena came back that year to check on her daughter, Fred murdered her as well. Mother and daughter did not know each other’s fate. Both were at the mercy of a vicious cycle of violence — one that had started in private and would eventually become known around the world.
Fred And Rose West: The Killers Next Door
Rose West’s relationship with Fred West started when she was only 15. She moved in with him and his children soon after. By 1972, they were married. The pair went on a killing spree over more than a decade, preying on vulnerable young women.
Between 1967 and 1987, Fred and Rose raped, tortured and killed a minimum of 12 people. A number of these killings occurred at their home on Cromwell Street in Gloucester, which is now known as the “House of Horrors.” Among their victims was their daughter Heather, whose body was later found buried beneath the patio.
The couple used what appeared to be charm to unnerve their victims. Behind locked doors, they unleashed unspeakable cruelty. Though Fred admitted to killing several people, Rose maintained she had nothing to do with it, even once she’d been sentenced to life in prison in 1995.
The Netflix Documentary: What We Know About What We Know Now
Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story on Netflix unearths the crimes through police interviews, family accounts, and forensic traces. The three-parter examines Fred’s early crimes, Rose’s involvement, and the following trial.
New recordings and footage allow viewers a more intimate look into how the Wests manipulated people around them. The documentary focuses, too, on Rena and Charmaine—two of the early victims whose stories are easily forgotten. It reveals how the authorities finally uncovered the horrors beneath the floorboards at Cromwell Street.
When Things Go Wrong: The Unending Questions That Still Haunt Us
Some mysteries remain unsolved even decades later. Was it just 12 people Fred killed, or were there more? The fate of Mary Bastholm, a 15-year-old, was that of an alleged victim who was never found. Why didn’t Fred confess to Ann McFall’s murder, even though he showed police where her body was buried?
Warning signs went unheeded by authorities. A daughter reported Fred and Rose for abuse in 1992. The charges were dropped, and the investigation went dormant for two additional years. Would early action have prevented deaths?
Rose West has never confessed, and some of her remaining children long for a confession. Others have traveled long distances from Gloucester, hoping to leave the past behind. But complete closure is just beyond reach.
FAQs
Fred West victims: Who was Fred West’s first victim?
Fred West’s initial known victim was Rena Costello, his wife, who vanished in 1971. Her body was discovered in 1994.
Whatever happened to Charmaine West?
Rena’s daughter, Charmaine, was killed by Rose West in 1971 while Fred was serving a sentence in prison. And her body was buried under the kitchen floor.
How many people did Fred and Rose West murder?
Fred and Rose West were responsible for at least 12 murders from 1967 to 1987. Some suspect the actual number is higher.
What is the House of Horrors?
The “House of Horrors” is 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, where the pair buried their various victims.
Is Rose West still in prison?
Yes. Rose West is currently in HM Prison New Hall serving life imprisonment.
Final Words
The case of Fred and Rose West is among the darkest in Britain. But it isn’t only about statistics—it’s about people. We owe it to victims like Rena and Charmaine not to remember them as afterthoughts, measuring what took place in the past by the horrors we end up seeing in the future. The Netflix documentary helps shed a little light on their lives and the horrors they faced. As long as there are questions, there is still a reason to keep telling their story.
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