Steve Wright: The disturbing crimes of the Suffolk Strangler
Killer Britain with Dermot MurnaghanFor some serial killer victims, the wait for justice can be painfully long. Years or even decades can go by before their killers are identified, when new evidence finally reveals them to be someone who’s already behind bars.
Take, for instance, the case of 17-year-old Victoria Hall, who was murdered more than 25 years ago. For years, her family and friends lived in fear that her killer would never be caught.
Until now.
In February 2026, Steve Wright pleaded guilty to Victoria’s murder in 1999. Known as the Suffolk Strangler, Wright had already been convicted for the murders of five sex workers around Ipswich.
But, as this news shows, the final number of Wright’s victims still remains unknown. Join us at Crime+Investigation as we take a closer look at his life and murders and remember his victims.
Who is Steve Wright?
Just as with many notorious serial killers, Steve Wright led an outwardly normal life for many years. Born in the village of Erpingham in 1958 to a military policeman father and veterinary nurse mother, the family had previously lived in Malta and Singapore before settling in Norfolk.
At age six, his parents separated, a development that his father later believed had left Wright ‘damaged’. He left school at 16 with no qualifications, before joining the Merchant Navy as a chef. Various jobs followed, including as a steward on the QE2, a lorry driver, pub landlord and forklift truck driver.
Yet behind the seemingly ordinary façade of the twice-divorced dad of one, there were clear signs of inner turmoil. By 2001, Wright had lost his post as a pub landlord due to a gambling and drinking problem that saw him rack up massive debts. Declared bankrupt in the late 1990s, he was later convicted of theft, having stolen £80 in an attempt to pay off his debts.
Even so, few were to suspect that a man once described by a sex worker as ‘nervous and quiet’ would be capable of committing such monstrous crimes.
Remembering the victims of the Suffolk Strangler
Over a six-and-a-half week period in 2006, terror descended on the red light district of Ipswich. Between 30th October and 10th December, five women were murdered by an unknown killer. They were:
- Tania Nichol, 19 – disappeared 30th October
- Gemma Adams, 25 – disappeared mid-November
- Anneli Alderton, 24 – body found 10th December
- Paula Clennell, 24 – body found 12th December
- Annette Nicholls, 29 – body found 12th December
Both Anneli and Paula were confirmed to have been strangled, yet a cause of death couldn’t be determined for the other three. Disturbingly, both Annette and Anneli's bodies had been discovered positioned in a crucifix pose, with arms outstretched.
Suddenly, streets in Ipswich that would usually be full of people so close to Christmas were deserted. Women looked at every man with trepidation. Police officers were stationed on many of the town’s roads as the pressure mounted for them to find the killer who had been dubbed ‘the Suffolk Strangler’.
By 18th December, a male supermarket worker who had known all the victims had been arrested. But he was later released without charge.
Three days later, Wright was finally arrested and charged with all five murders. Flecks of blood had been discovered on the back seats of Wright’s car that matched the DNA profile of Paula Clennell. He admitted to having used sex workers since his time working for the Merchant Navy, but denied murdering them.
However, during his trial, prosecutors told the jury that Wright had 'systematically selected and murdered' all five women during his reign of terror. On 21st February 2008, he was found guilty and given a whole-life sentence.
Yet even after his conviction, police continued to investigate his possible involvement with other unsolved murders.
A guilty plea after 26 years
On 18th September 1999, A Level student Victoria Hall left her home for a night out with a friend at a nightclub in Felixstowe. Later that evening, as the pair left the venue, they parted ways.
Victoria wouldn’t be seen alive again. Her naked body was discovered five days later.
20 years after her death, Suffolk police reopened their investigation after receiving fresh witness information. By May 2024, Wright had been charged with her murder.
Just as with his other victims, he initially denied murdering Victoria, but in February 2026, changed his plea to guilty, the first time he had ever admitted to a murder.
Tragically, the development came too late for Victoria’s parents. In the years after her murder, Victoria’s parents, Graham and Linda, took part in police appeals and campaigns that they hoped would solve the case.
Yet Linda would not get to see Wright’s admission of guilt. She died in December 2025, aged 70, having never received the final closure she deserved.
But for everyone else who knew Victoria, including her friend Gemma Algar, who had been the last person to see her alive, the admission was a welcome one.
At last, Victoria’s killer had been identified. At last, she could receive justice.
Victoria’s story may not be the last. As of 2026, Steve Wright is still linked to at least three other unsolved murders. To keep up with future developments, sign up to the Crime+Investigation newsletter today. Every week, you’ll receive the latest articles, episodes, clips and more from C+I delivered straight to your inbox.
