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Convicted murderer John Sweeney dies in prison at age 69

John Sweeney, who was serving a whole-life sentence for the murders of two women whose bodies were disposed of in canals, has died at HMP Whitemoor.

Updated Aug 26, 2026 · 21:20 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • John Sweeney, a double murderer known as the "Canal killer," died in prison on August 14 at HMP Whitemoor.
  • Sweeney was convicted in 2011 for the murders of former girlfriends Paula Fields and Melissa Halstead, whose dismembered bodies were discovered in London and Rotterdam canals.
  • The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is conducting an investigation into his death in accordance with standard procedure for deaths in custody.

Key facts

  • John Sweeney died at HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire on August 14 at the age of 69 while serving a whole-life prison sentence.[BBC News]
  • Sweeney was convicted in 2011 of murdering former girlfriends Paula Fields in London and Melissa Halstead in the Netherlands.[BBC News]
  • Parts of Paula Fields' body were found in Regent's Canal in Camden in February 2001, though her head, hands, and feet were never recovered.[BBC News]
  • Melissa Halstead's dismembered remains were discovered in a Rotterdam canal in 1990, but she remained unidentified for 18 years.[BBC News]
  • Sweeney had previously been imprisoned for the attempted murder of Delia Balmer in an axe attack in 1994.[BBC News]
  • The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is conducting an investigation into Sweeney's death, which is standard procedure for deaths in custody.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • The exact cause of Sweeney's death has not been disclosed.[BBC News]
  • Police previously suspected Sweeney may have murdered other former partners who went missing, but no additional murder convictions were reported.[BBC News]

Sources