The Chillenden Murders on Netflix sheds light on the 1996 murders of mother-and-daughter Lin and Megan Russell.
Netflix’s The Chillenden Murders has left audiences questioning whether Michael Stone, the man convicted of the killings, is still in prison.
Back in July 1996, Lin Russell, 45, was out walking with her daughters Josie, nine, and Megan, six, along with the family dog Lucy down a quiet country lane when a man confronted them.
What followed was truly horrific – he bound them before brutally attacking Lin and Megan with a hammer, killing them both along with their pet. Miraculously, Josie survived the savage assault.
A year on, after a Crimewatch appeal generated numerous leads, Michael Stone, then 37, was taken into custody for the murders and attempted murder.
He subsequently received three life sentences with a minimum term of 25 years.
Is Michael Stone still in prison?
Yes, Michael Stone continues to serve his time at HMP Full Sutton near York.
But in 2022, serial killer Levi Bellfield claimed he was responsible for Lin and Megan’s deaths, though he later withdrew his confession.
Bellfield is currently serving two whole-life orders for murdering Marsha McDonnell, Amelie Delagrange, 13-year-old Milly Dowler, and attempting to murder Kate Sheedy.
Despite spending nearly three decades behind bars, Stone has consistently protested his innocence.
The Netflix documentary, which first broadcast in 2023, concludes with the caption: “Michael Stone lost a second appeal against his conviction in 2005.
“In 2011, Stone’s legal team was refused permission to apply for judicial review of the CCRC decision not to refer his case to the Court of Appeal.
“Michael Stone’s case has been under active investigation at the Criminal Cases Review Commission since 2017.
“The Commission is yet to reach a decision regarding whether or not to refer the case back for appeal.
“Michael Stone still protests his innocence of these crimes and his legal team continues to work to overturn his conviction.”
The Chillenden Murders: Who Killed Lin and Megan? can be streamed on Netflix.
