New Documentary Reveals Ian Brady’s Hidden Manuscript in Moors Murder Case
A new BBC documentary, The Moors Murders: A Search for Justice, has unearthed a previously unknown and incomplete autobiography written by convicted Moors murderer Ian Brady, a revelation stirring renewed calls to assist in the search for one of the victims.
A Secret Manuscript, What Was Discovered?
The documentary team, led by author-filmmaker Duncan Staff and cold case investigators, discovered a 394-page typed manuscript titled Black Light. The autobiographical account details Brady’s relationship with Myra Hindley and includes an accurate description of the murder and burial of their first victim, Pauline Reade.
Brady reportedly described the manuscript’s full extent to Brady’s biographer, Dr Alan Keightley, claiming it stretched to around 600 pages. The missing latter chapters are believed to contain details of the murder and burial of 12-year-old Keith Bennett, the third victim, whose remains remain missing.
Where Are the Missing Pages?
The final pages are thought to have been kept by Brady’s solicitor, Benedict Birnberg, who passed away in 2023. His firm says any remaining materials were transferred to Brady’s executor and lawyer, Robin Makin, in Liverpool. The Bennett family has previously accused Makin of withholding documents that could help locate Keith’s body.
Response from Authorities and Families
Cold case investigators and Bennett’s brother, Alan, have urged that the missing pages be released to police, believing they might provide the first written directions to Keith Bennett’s burial site.
Geoff Knupfer, the retired Greater Manchester detective who led the original Moors Murders investigation, called the recovered pages “extraordinary,” saying he’d seen nothing like it in his career and that it could launch renewed official searches.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed their investigation remains open and pledged to act on any credible evidence that emerges.
Case Background
Brady and Hindley murdered five children in and around Manchester between 1963 and 1965—Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey, and Edward Evans. Bodies of three were found on Saddleworth Moor; Keith Bennett’s remains have never been recovered despite numerous searches. Brady died in 2017, Hindley in 2002.(turn0search6)
In Summary
Item Key Details
Document Found 394 pages of Ian Brady’s typed autobiography (“Black Light”)
Potential Missing Content Details of Keith Bennett’s murder and burial
Custody Chain Manuscript may be with Robin Makin, executor and solicitor
Impact Could lead to renewed search effort and closure for Bennett’s family
Official Position Greater Manchester Police remain open to new evidence
Why This Matters
If the manuscript’s missing pages include Brady’s account of Keith Bennett’s grave, they could finally provide long‑sought clues to his location, offering long-awaited answers for the Bennett family and potentially reopening investigations. It’s a chilling reminder of the lasting impact of the Moors Murders and the importance of resolving unresolved cases.