Fred West didn’t even make it to trial before he died by suicide. Possibly believing that the evidence against him was too strong and that life behind bars would be unbearable, West used material he stole from the jail laundry to fashion a makeshift noose and hung himself with it in his cell. On the wall next to his body, he etched a message into the paint. It read: “Freddy, the mass murderer from Gloucester” (per All That’s Interesting). 

Nine months before he died, West was caught with what officials have called a “suicide kit.” Shortly after he arrived at the jail, it was discovered that he had razor blades and other contraband that he could have used to die by suicide. The Daily Mail reports that, for some reason, jail officials didn’t confiscate these items and left them with West in his cell.

Adding insult to injury to the jail was that West was also on suicide watch when he hung himself on New Year’s Day, 1995. It’s also been speculated that West chose this way to die to take the entire blame for the many murders he and his wife were facing trial for. Their son Stephen West believed that West’s actions were taken to spare his wife any prison sentence (via Express).

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline​ by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255)​.

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