Until I Kill You is an ITV true-crime series that takes viewers deep into the terrifying story of John Sweeney, also known as the “scalp hunter.”
Sweeney’s brutal crimes in the 1990s and early 2000s shook the UK. This series brings his chilling story back into the spotlight and is based on survivor Delia Balmer’s book Living With A Serial Killer.
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The series is about Balmer’s journey with Sweeney. It explores the psychological and physical terror Sweeney inflicted on those close to him. Sweeney’s twisted, violent mind was unlike anything the public had seen, making him one of the UK’s most dangerous criminals.
Here’s a look at 5 gruesome details about Scalp Hunter from the ITV true crime series Until I Kill You.
5 gruesome details about serial killer Scalp Hunter from the ITV true crime series Until I Kill You
1) The "body disposal kit"
In Until I Kill You, one of the first chilling signs of Sweeney’s dark intentions was his so-called “body disposal kit.” Delia Balmer had dated Sweeney in the past. Sweeney was a controlling partner who repeatedly called and kept track of Balmer, leaving her friends and family worried about the nature of their relationship.
Eventually, she discovered this disturbing bag among his belongings early in their relationship. It was packed with items like a saw, rope, gloves, and masking tape. These tools only made sense in a horrifying context. Balmer later realized that this “kit” was likely meant for her. This is when she realized that it was a terrifying wake-up call.
The series Until I Kill You shows that it was clear he had meticulously planned his actions. It revealed how deeply Sweeney’s violent tendencies were incorporated into his everyday life.
2) A four-day ordeal of terror
In Until I Kill You, one of the most gruesome details is Sweeney’s four-day hostage situation with Delia Balmer. After their relationship deteriorated, Balmer tried to escape, changed her locks, and cut off contact.
In 1994, he forced his way into her home and tied her to her bed. He held her captive at gunpoint. He even confessed to murdering his ex-girlfriend Melissa Halstead which terrified Balmer.
He held her captive for four days. His psychological and physical control over her showed just how far Sweeney would go to instill fear in others and maintain dominance.
When Balmer finally managed to escape from him and went to the police, Sweeney plotted his revenge.
In December 1994, he found and attacked her in broad daylight. He brutally hacked at her with an axe. Balmer lost a finger and suffered multiple stab wounds. These injuries left her with lifelong scars. A neighbor saved her by striking Sweeney with a baseball bat.
3) The chilling discovery in the canal
Sweeney’s activities weren't confined to the UK. He was known to travel across Europe. In 2001, the dismembered body of Paula Fields was found in London’s Regent’s Canal. It was stuffed into six holdalls.
Fields, like Sweeney’s previous victims, had suffered unimaginable violence. Her body was disposed of in a way that showed a complete lack of humanity. Sweeney used canals as disposal sites for his victims. Sweeney also mutilated his victims.
4) His "Scalp Hunter" drawings and creepy poems
Sweeney’s twisted mind went beyond physical violence. He documented his horrific fantasies and crimes through art.
When police finally raided his squat, they found over 300 pornographic, violent paintings and poems. Some of these images had women bound and bloody knives. They were scenes straight out of a nightmare.
Another shocking thing was a short verse written by him:
"poor old Melissa, chopped her up in bits, food to feed the fish, Amsterdam was the pits."
One drawing even had a tombstone labeled “RIP Melissa Halstead”. It mocked the memory of his first known victim. The nickname “Scalp Hunter” partially stemmed from one of these disturbing drawings, titled “Scalphunter.”
5) Sweeney’s chilling secret
In Until I Kill You, one of the most disturbing aspects of John Sweeney’s crimes is that he never revealed what he did with the heads of Paula Fields and Melissa Halstead. To this day, their remains are missing. As Delia Balmer noted, this could be his way of keeping control.
She shared a chilling memory from 1993 when Sweeney told her that he had sealed his pet tarantula in a brick wall at a construction site in Germany. Balmer suspects he may have done something similar with his victims’ remains. He may have left them hidden in building walls somewhere across Europe.
Sweeney was finally convicted for his gruesome crimes in 2011. Detective Chief Inspector Norman McKinlay interviewed Sweeney in prison. He recalled Sweeney’s silent, piercing stare.
Judge Justice Saunders condemned the crimes as cold and brutal. He noted that the mutilation of the victims added immensely to the anguish of their families. They still don’t have the comfort of recovering their loved ones’ remains.
Until I Kill You brings these gruesome details to light. It reveals the extent of Sweeney’s twisted mind. It is streaming now on ITV.
Stay tuned to Soap Central for more updates and detailed coverage.
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