Netflix’s The Chillenden Murders documentary revisits the 1996 murder of Lin Russell and her daughter Megan in Chillenden, Kent.
The Chillenden Murders, a chilling exploration of the brutal killings of Lin and Megan Russell, has landed on Netflix but what happened to survivor Josie Russell?
Two years after its initial airing on Channel 5, The Chillenden Murders: Who Killed Lin and Megan? is now available for streaming on Netflix.
This one-off special delves into the harrowing events of July 1996 when Lin Russell, aged 45, and her daughters Josie, nine, and Megan, six, were ambushed while walking down a country lane in Chillenden, Kent.
Returning home from a local school swimming gala, they were accosted by a man who bound them and brutally bludgeoned them to death with a hammer.
The man, later identified by police as Michael Stone, was reported to have savagely murdered Lin, Megan and their pet dog Lucy, while Josie Russell miraculously survived the onslaught.
Where is Josie Russell now?
While Josie was the sole survivor, she did not escape unharmed. She sustained serious head injuries, necessitating extensive surgery to replace part of her skull with a titanium plate.
Her speech and memory functions were severely impaired, but over time, she managed to make a full recovery.
Following the attack, Josie and her father Shaun Russell relocated to Gwynedd, North Wales, where they had previously resided as a family before their move to Kent.
Josie went on to earn a degree in design and textiles from Bangor University and has built a thriving career as an artist, drawing inspiration from Welsh landscapes and selling her creations both online and at various exhibitions.
In 2012, Josie utilised her trust fund alongside compensation received from the Criminal Injuries Board to buy back her family’s former residence in Snowdonia, Wales—a place filled with cherished memories.
Speaking to The Standard, Josie reflected: “It just feels right here. I’m going home and I’ll never leave.”
She shares the property with her long-term fiancé Iwan Griffith, with whom she recently marked their 20th anniversary, having first crossed paths at a pub on New Year’s Eve 2005.
During an appearance on Lorraine, Josie remarked simply: “I’ve just got to get on with life and just carry on. I love my job, it’s all fine. Happy.”
The Chillenden Murders: Who Killed Lin and Megan? is available to watch on Netflix.
