Unknown Killer, Glasgow 1968 to 1969
An unsolved crime that inspired an Ian Rankin Rebus novel, “Bible John” strangled several women in the late 1960s in and around Glasgow, then suddenly stopped.
Patricia Docker
23 February 1968
The body of Patricia was found in the doorway of a lock-up garage in Carmichael Place early in the morning. Police were sure she had been strangled using a belt, as there were no rope or hand marks on her neck.
She had last been seen the previous evening at the Barrowlands Ballrooms, and the pathologist was certain he had died shortly after that, so had probably met her killer at the Ballroom or nnearby. With no clues or motive, the case was a mystery.
Mima McDonald
17 August 1969
Like Docker, McDonald had last been seen at the Barrowlands on the previous evening, leaving at midnight after spending most of the evening with a tall man – 6 ft to 6ft 2, slim, with short red hair and aged 25-35.
On the Sunday morning, McDonald was found in a derelict building, strangled with her own tights.
Despite an artist’s impression of the man she was seen with, no-one was able to identify the man Mima had been with.
Helen Puttock
30 October 1969
Helen Puttock and her sister Jeanie Williams were together in the Barrowlands when they met two men, both called John.
As the two women spoke to the men, Jeanie overheard some of the conversation Helen had with her John. He was a polite, well-dressed man in what could be a rough venue, and had short-cut hair, standing out at a time when men mostly had longer hair. He did also mention his surname, and Jeanie thought it could have neem Emerson or Templeton.
The two couples left the Barrowlands, with the two sisters and Helen’s John sharing a taxi. He started to make comments showing how much he disapproved of the morality of Glasgow night-life – which is where the “Bible John” nickname came from. He said he didn’t drink (very unusual in Glasgow), but prayed, and several times he mentioned Old Testament stories of Moses.
Jeanie Williams was dropped off first, and then Helen and John were dropped off in Scotstoun. The next morning, Helen was found by a dog walker – she had been strangled.
Helen Puttock was the final victim of “Bible John”, although some murders in 1977 and 1978 seemed to be the work of his.
The investigation
The police search for Bible John was huge, and with witness descriptions of John, it was thought he would soon be caught. He wore a distinctive brown suit, had very short hair and slightly overlapping front teeth.
But no-one suggested a viable suspect. Over 5,000 men were interviewed and eliminated, but not a single suspect emerged. Even a famous Dutch psychic helped the police.
Bible John was an unusual serial killer as he didn’t appear to make any effort to hide himself, especially in the murder of Helen Puttock. He stopped killing suddenly, and there was no sexual element. A pattern so different from most serial killers that some even question whether the three murders were actually committed by different men.