The Unsolved Murder of Christopher Stanley
Hounslow Heath
29th July 1992
On 30th July 1992, the body of missing 9 year old Christopher Stanley was discovered by two boys in an old air raid shelter on Hounslow Heath. He had gone missing the evening before. A neighbour was arrested on suspicion of Christopher’s murder but was acquitted at trial. Christopher’s killer has never been found.
Christopher Stanley
Christopher John Stanley was born in Hounslow on 7th January 1983. He lived in St Aubyn’s Avenue, Hounslow with his grandmother, Diana Stanley, who had raised him following his parents separation. His grandmother died just five years after Christopher’s death.
Disappearance
Christopher had gone to play outside his home (which is situated close to the golf course) when he disappeared.
Murder
Christopher had been stripped and strangled with a cord.
His naked body was found by two boys in an old army pill-box on the edge of Hounslow Heath golf course. His clothes were never found.
Sightings
Christopher and a 7 year old friend were seen speaking to a neighbour of Christopher’s on the evening that he died. He was not seen after 7.30pm that evening.
Police Appeal
The officer in charge of the investigation, DS Chris Burke, made an appeal to try and discover the route that Christopher would have taken from his home to the Heath. He also appealed for information on any dens where Christopher may have played.
Arrest
Kelvin John McMahon, 24, who lived opposite Christopher in St Aubyn’s Avenue, was arrested on suspicion of his murder. The friend of Christopher’s identified him as the man they were speaking to before Christopher’s disappearance and stated that he had been wearing “a rude t-shirt with pictures of ladies with no clothes on the back“.
Trial
McMahon appeared at the Old Bailey in May 1993 and was acquitted of his murder on 19th May 1993.
Information
Any information on this case is strangely scarce so if anyone knows where I could find anything, further please leave a comment. Thanks!
scepticpeg 
I was a witness at the trial and I know this post is old but important to get answers for the family.
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If there is any further information on this case that I have omitted (there is very little online about it), please feel free to contact me as I’d prefer to offer as much detail as possible in order to reach any witnesses. It’s wrong that a child is murdered and no one is convicted.
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Christopher was my best friend at infant school and I remember him and his gran dearly. The perpetrator should brought to justice.
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You must have been in the sane class as my son Alan ? At orchard school.
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My son was at school with Christopher and we have always thought about him and wondered if there had been any new evidence.
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I never knew Christopher. He was a year younger then me and I lived near by.
I used to venture into to the donkey woods and pill box all the time but I didn’t go anywhere near there after he was found. What happened really scare me but now that I’m a Dad it just really upsets me.
I can’t believe no one has ever been charged, we’ve come along way with forensics since.
I work full time but want to see if there’s anything I can do to try to get this re-opened (if it hasn’t already) Please fee free to email me any thoughts, suggestions or information.
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Hey, its been many a year and i still think of Chris regularly, i lived in hounslow and we went school together, we were good friends. I moved away but even at that age we stayed in touch. I remember vividly when i found out he had been taken from us. Devastating to this day. He loved ghostbusters, didnt we all! Please let me know should you ever receive any info. Justice is needed for closure
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I used to go to School with Chris. I remember the day the police came to talk about him (trying to find out where he had been). I keep thinking about him.
As Alan said, Justice is needed.
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Any updates on the investigation. Still wish they had done DBA looked further into what happened. How can anyone just get away with this it’s beyond belief
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I remember Chris fondly. I wish we had some breakthrough in his case. The police came to our house and asked me when I last saw him. Was in school.. i vaguely remember we played football the last time I saw him.
I come back here often, hoping there was a light at the end of this tunnel
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