April 13th 1973: David McGreavy, The Real Friday 13th Killer.

On Friday 13th of April 1973 Clive Ralph left his home in Gillam Street in Worcester to collect his wife Elsie from work at a bar. Elsie worked the closing shift that night and Clive would often go and collect her and even lend a hand in the closing duties, in exchange for a late night pint before the pair would head home together. They had three small children, Paul (4), Dawn (2) and Samantha (9 months). Clive worked as a truck driver and would often have to spend long periods of time away from home on long distance trips for work. A friend of Clive's David McGreavy moved in with the couple as a lodger in 1972. 

David McGreavy was a down on his luck 20 year old. He was the second of 6 children and who had wanted to follow in his father's footsteps in serving his country. As a child he would move around with his family frequently to where his father was posted in The British Army. They were thought to be a tight knit family and always done everything together, go biking, walking and on picnics. His mother, Bella, would later state that the only time young David gave her any trouble was one week when he stole her shopping money to run away from home to go to Liverpool. He left school to join the Royal Navy in 1967, at aged 15, but Thomas McGreavy, David's father, had doubts in his son and questioned whether he would have the discipline to make a career for himself in The Navy. After seeing his name scribbled in a notebook of an officer, he assumed the worst and thought it indicated a change of job. He broke into an officer's room and set fire to the room. He himself raised the alarm and claimed it was an accidental fire which started as a result of him dropping a cigarette into a waste bin with papers in it. Although drunk at the time, he admitted his wrong doing but was ultimately dismissed from his post and discharged from The Navy. 

Shortly after this his girlfriend had broken up with him. McGreavy had began corresponding with a woman via letter when he was stationed overseas in The Navy. Quickly after meeting in person the couple became engaged but Mary broke off the engagement. It is thought that McGreavy wanted a lavish wedding and was quite arrogant. Having his dismissal from The Navy behind him and no certain income the wedding plans became a source of issue for the couple. Shortly after this his parents decided that he was no longer welcome to live with them. He was known to be a big drinker and this was a leading factor in his parent's decision to throw him out of their home, along with his inability to hold down a permanent job. A kind hearted man who wouldn't see his friend on the street, Clive Ralph offered him a place within his family home. During Clive's long periods away from home, McGreavy would stand in and help with looking after the children and even lend a hand with the cooking and helped The Ralph family out financially by paying £6 a week in rent. A condition of his lodging with the family was that he would take it easy on the drink, which he agreed to in a desperate attempt to put a roof over his head but he never promised that he would quit drinking altogether. 

On Friday the 13th McGreavy went out to a local bar with a friend where he consumed between 5 and 7 drinks, the played darts and cards and by all accounts it was a relatively local key, Friday evening in the pub with a mate. A minor altercation took place shortly before McGreavy left the premises where he put out a cigarette in his friend's drink. Clive Ralph collected McGreavy from his evening out and dropped him home before he left the again to collect Elsie from work. Neither Clive or Elsie had had reason to be concerned or rush home. McGreavy was a responsible 21 year old by now who would look after and play with the children on a regular basis. He would play games with the older two children and bounce baby Samantha on his knee to comfort and entertain her. 

However, the couple arrived home to find that their home had become the scene of a police investigation. 

At some point in that evening between 10.15 pm and 11.15 pm, David McGreavy would kill all three of the Ralph children. Baby Samantha was the first to be killed, she was crying for her bottle and McGreavy, still intoxicated lost his temper with the crying. He put his hand over her mouth to stop her from crying, fracturing her skull in the process and she died as a result. He went into the bathroom and grabbed a razor, 2 year old dawn had her throat slit and 4 year old Paul was strangled to death with a piece of curtain wire. 

McGreavy then proceeded to take a pic-axe from the basement and mutilate all three children's bodies before taking them outside and impaling then on an iron fence between the Ralph home and a neighbour's. He fled the scene shortly after this. 

Police began combing the area for McGreavy and he was picked up later than night wandering the streets near the Ralph home. At this time McGreavy acted clueless and claimed no knowledge of the violent murders that had taken place earlier that night. After being detained for a few hours, he began talking to police and explained how the situation had unfolded. 

"I put my hand over her mouth and it went from there. It's all in the house. On Paul I used a wire. I was going to bury him but I couldn't. I went outside and put them on the fence. All I could hear is kids, kids, kids." 

The hearing of David McGreavy lasted only 8 minutes in court as he pleaded guilty, there was no motive given, no defence put forward and no reason for diminished responsibility. 

McGreavy spent 45 years in prison and was cleared for parole in 2018. During his parole hearing it was said that during his time in prison McGreavy had changed considerably and had developed self-control and also the ability to remain calm in stressful situations. 

David McGreavy was released having served 45 years, the majority of which were served in isolated conditions. Due to the nature of his crimes, it was thought he may be at risk to become the victim of a prison attack. 

Elsie was interviewed upon his release and she felt a great sense of betrayal at the situation, claiming that Ian Brady and Myra Hindley never left prison and he should not be treated any differently.