"THE STORY OF - STEPHEN GRIFFITHS - 'CROSSBOW CANNIBAL' -A POSTGRADUATE CRIMINOLOGY STUDENT"

The case of Stephen Griffiths, known as the "Crossbow Cannibal," is a chilling example of a man who transitioned from studying the mechanics of crime to enacting them. A postgraduate criminology student, Griffiths was obsessed with the history of serial killers—an obsession that culminated in a series of brutal murders in Bradford, England.

The Victims

Griffiths targeted vulnerable women working in Bradford’s red-light district. All three victims were mothers who had fallen into drug addiction:

Susan Rushworth (43): Disappeared in June 2009. She was a grandmother and mother of three. Her body was never found.

Shelley Armitage (31): Disappeared in April 2010. Small fragments of her remains were later recovered from a river.

Suzanne Blamires (36): Murdered in May 2010. She was a former nurse whose life had been derailed by heroin.

The Culprit

Stephen Shaun Griffiths (40 at the time): A PhD student at the University of Bradford. He was a highly intelligent but deeply disturbed individual who lived in a flat surrounded by books on dismemberment and serial killers. He notoriously gave his name in court as "The Crossbow Cannibal."

 

Motives and Findings

The Motive: Griffiths was driven by a desire for infamy and a "misanthropic" hatred of the human race. He sought to emulate the serial killers he studied, describing a "civil war" in his head. Prosecutors stated he derived sexual gratification from the killings and the "utmost power" of cannibalism.

Cannibalism: Griffiths admitted to cooking and eating the flesh of his first two victims (Rushworth and Armitage) and attempting to eat his third victim (Blamires) raw.

The Slaughterhouse: Inside his flat (Flat 33, Holmfield Court), police found a "slaughterhouse" in the bathtub and blood splattered on the walls. He used power tools to dismember his victims.

Investigations and Arrest

The case broke on May 24, 2010, through a stroke of grim luck:

The CCTV Footage: A caretaker at Griffiths' apartment complex was reviewing security footage and saw a horrifying sequence: Suzanne Blamires running from a flat, being chased by Griffiths, and then being shot in the head with a crossbow.

The "Toast": After the killing, the footage showed Griffiths holding a can of soda up to the camera in a mocking "toast" before dragging the body back inside.

Arrest: Police arrested him shortly after. Upon his arrest, he claimed to have killed a total of six women, though he was only ever charged with three.

 

Verdicts and Sentencing

The Trial: Griffiths pleaded guilty to all three murders at Leeds Crown Court on December 21, 2010.

Sentence: He was handed a Whole Life Tariff, meaning he will never be eligible for parole and will die in prison. The judge described his crimes as "wicked and monstrous."

Aftermath and Current Status (2026)

Incarceration: As of 2026, Stephen Griffiths remains imprisoned. He has spent much of his time at HMP Wakefield (often nicknamed "Monster Mansion" due to its high-profile inmates).

Health: During his early years in prison, Griffiths engaged in several high-profile hunger strikes (one lasting 120 days) and multiple suicide attempts. He remains under close supervision.

Unsolved Links: Police have periodically investigated his links to other unsolved murders in the Yorkshire area, specifically the 2001 death of Rebecca Hall, but no further charges have been brought.

Legacy: The case led to significant criticism of the police's failure to link the disappearances earlier, as Griffiths had been "on the radar" for years due to his disturbing behavior and possession of weapons.

**********************