Morbid Peter Manuel: The Beast of Birkenshaw (Part 2)
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Jul 22, 2024 Guest Peter Manuel, 'The Beast of Birkenshaw,' discusses his crimes, including the Smart family murder. Topics include therapy benefits, detective skills in cracking the case, and Manuel's chilling confession during trial.
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Signature Behaviors Pointed Investigators To Manuel
- Police suspected Peter Manuel early because his earlier crimes shared clear signature behaviors like dragging victims to isolation and trashing homes.
- Investigators connected M.O. markers from assaults and break-ins across Lanarkshire, which focused surveillance on Manuel despite scarce physical evidence.
Discovery Of The Smart Family Murder And Disturbing Aftermath
- Officers forced entry to Peter Smart's house on January 6 and found Peter, his wife, and their 11-year-old son shot in the head.
- Curtains had been altered over days, indicating the killer returned or stayed; the murderer later tried to break into neighbors' houses on January 4.
New Bank Notes Linked Manuel To The Smarts
- Detectives traced newly spent five-pound notes to bars and linked them to cash withdrawn by Peter Smart before his family holiday.
- A warrant search of Manuel's home found matches and led to his being taken to the precinct for questioning.