A HEARTBROKEN brother has begged a sadistic killer he believes murdered his sister 28 years ago to “do the right thing and come clean”.
Deborah Wood, 20, was last seen on January 4, 1996, as she left Big Lil’s Pub in Leeds.
All4Deborah Wood was last seen leaving a pub in Leeds in 1996[/caption]
NB PRESS LTDHer brother Craig has revealed his agony at her unsolved murder[/caption]
PA:Press AssociationHe believes convicted killer John Taylor is behind the horror[/caption]
Tragically, her body was discovered ten days later near Burley station where she had been doused in petrol and set alight.
Her brother Craig Wood, 50, has now spoken out on the 28th anniversary of her brutal killing, which remains unsolved.
He believes depraved child murderer and serial rapist John Taylor is behind the horror.
Craig is now planning to write to Taylor in jail, where the monster is serving life for murdering 16-year-old Leanne Tiernan in 2000.
He told The Sun Online: “I’m almost certain he’s had something to do with Deborah’s death.
“I’ve been thinking about writing to him asking for answers. He’s only in Wakefield prison – it’s not more than seven miles away.
“I’d say to him ‘you’ve got nothing to lose – just tell me’. He’s not getting out so what’s he got to lose? He’s got nothing to gain from not telling the truth.
“It must be lonely from him being in prison knowing he will never get out. He might as well get it off his conscience.
“He should do the right thing and come clean.”
Leanne’s twisted killing bears haunting similarities with Deborah’s murder.
Once he slaughtered the teen, Taylor kept Leanne’s bound body in cold storage before burying her in woodland.
It is believed Deborah was also kept in storage as there was still alcohol in her system ten days after she left the pub alive.
Both victims had been wrapped in a duvet then a bin bag before their bodies were dumped.
Craig has also pinpointed chilling clues that link Taylor to his sister’s death.
Crucially, the predator lived just ten minutes from the station where Deborah’s charred body was found.
As Craig points out, his sister never used trains and didn’t know anyone in Burley so would have no reason to be there.
He added: “If you look at all the circumstantial evidence, there is a lot to link Taylor to my sister’s murder.
“If you look at what happened to Leanne – her body was put in cold storage, in a bed cover, wrapped in a bin bag.
“That’s exactly what happened to Deborah before her body was doused in petrol and set alight.
“But the biggest thing is that bar staff at Big Lil’s have confirmed hat Taylor used to drink there. He used to go around the tables being a pest to women and causing a nuisance.
“So we know he was a regular in the same pub where Deborah was last seen.
“To me, that’s just too much of a coincidence.”
Deborah had gone to the pub with her dad and some pals to enjoy some drinks.
She left at around 5pm but never returned home as a desperate search was launched.
The tragic discovery was made ten days later when fire crews were scrambled to the train station.
Craig believes his sister’s case was mismanaged from the beginning by police, who he says failed to collect key evidence.
In a heartbreaking twist, he and his mum Linda only found about Deborah’s murder in a TV news report about her body being found.
It was also television that first led Craig to believe Taylor was behind the killing after a documentary revealed the discovery of a necklace in his car.
His mum Linda was shown the jewellery but it was kept in an evidence bag by officers – making it difficult for her to recognise it.
Craig believes it should also have been shown to him and his two sisters and says he is convinced that it did belong to Deborah.
He also claims officers failed to go to the pub where his sister was last seen and speak to bar staff about regular Taylor.
Craig added: “I went to a meeting with two officers this year and I put forward my concerns about things that weren’t done.
“I asked them ‘did you go to Big Lil’s?’ and he said ‘no – it wasn’t part of our enquiry’. I find that quite disturbing.
“The pub even had CCTV – it’s grainy but maybe they could have spotted a certain someone moving about. And with the technology available today, they could probably have made the quality better.
“There were so many rookie mistakes and I really believe that’s the reason no-one has been brought to justice over Deborah.”
Taylor was known to bar staff at the pub as a “creep” who was “touchy, touchy, feely, feely” with female customers.
But the true extent of his gruesome crimes was only revealed in 2000 when he was locked up for murdering Leanne.
Taylor, who had abducted the teen as she returned from a Christmas shopping trip, was also convicted of a string of rapes and unsolved sex attacks.
The poacher has since also been linked to the killings of sex workers Donna Healey in 1991 and Yvonne Fitts in 1992.
Chillingly, Yvonne’s body was discovered buried in Lindley Woods in North Yorkshire – just 100 yards from where Leanne was found.
At his sentencing, Taylor was described as a “sexual sadist who exudes evil”.
For Craig, the last 28 years have been torture as he continues to fight to bring Deborah’s killer to justice.
He has tragically lost his mum, stepdad and sister who all went to the grave without ever finding out who was responsible.
He added: “It’s hard not having closure. It’s always hanging over me. I’ve got Deborah’s mementos upstairs, I’ve got all those treasured memories.
“But every time you go in the loft and search through photos, it brings it all back.
“I want justice and I want to give the police a kick up the a**e.
“Deborah’s case is right at the bottom of the pile because there’s no DNA or direct evidence. But that’s not to say they can’t look into it properly.”
West Yorkshire Police said: “Officers from West Yorkshire Police’s Major Investigation Review Team have met with family members to discuss their concerns regarding this investigation and continue to keep in regular contact.
“Our thoughts also remain with Deborah’s family at this time, and we remain committed to getting justice for them.
“We do not comment on third party connections to an undetected crime.
“Deborah’s murder remains an open investigation and evidence will continue to be reviewed in light of any new information.”
Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
NB PRESS LTDDeborah had spent the day with her dad and some friends[/caption]
Her charred body was found ten days later at a railway station
Craig believes this necklace in Taylor’s car could be a clue
PA:Press AssociationTaylor murdered 16-year-old Leanne Tiernan[/caption]
NB PRESS LTDCraig says there are similarities between the two cases[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
