Ep 19. John Cooper

John Cooper was a Welsh serial killer who terrorized the Pembrokeshire area for almost two decades before being caught. In this episode, we delve into Cooper's life and the horrific crimes he committed.

Cooper was a career criminal who had spent time in prison for a range of offenses, including burglary and assault. However, it wasn't until the 1980s that he began his killing spree. His first victims were brother and sister Richard and Helen Thomas, who were shot dead while walking along a coastal path. The police initially believed the deaths to be a murder-suicide, but it soon became clear that there was a killer on the loose.

Over the next few years, Cooper struck again and again, targeting lone hikers and campers in the Pembrokeshire area. His victims included Peter and Gwenda Dixon, a couple from Oxfordshire who were on holiday when they were shot dead on a beach, and tourists John and Anne Cooper (no relation), who were killed while on a camping trip.

Despite the fact that Cooper was a known criminal and had been interviewed by police several times, he managed to evade capture for years. It wasn't until DNA evidence linked him to the murders that he was finally caught and brought to justice.

Through interviews with law enforcement officials, journalists, and experts, this episode examines the methods and motives of John Cooper, and looks at how he managed to elude capture for so long. Viewers will also hear from friends and family members of Cooper's victims, who talk about the impact that his crimes had on their lives.

As with previous episodes of World's Most Evil Killers, the focus is not on glorifying or sensationalizing violence, but on understanding the psychology of killers and the impact that their actions have on society as a whole. This episode is a sobering reminder that evil can take many forms, and that it is up to all of us to remain vigilant and work together to prevent such tragedies from happening again.