Babes in the Wood Killer Russell Bishop Dies Behind Bars
Russell Bishop, the infamous murderer of the two “Babes in the Wood” in 1986, has died in prison aged 55. Bishop was serving a life sentence for the brutal killings of Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows. He passed away on January 20, 2022, at HMP Frankland in County Durham.
Battle with Brain Tumour and Declining Health
A report from the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman reveals Bishop had been battling a brain tumour since September 2020. The tumour caused frequent seizures and severely affected his mobility. In August 2021, he underwent surgery and chemotherapy. Following treatment, he agreed not to be resuscitated if his heart or breathing stopped.
Final Hours: Choosing to Die in Prison
On the morning of January 20, prison staff found Bishop cold and struggling to breathe. He refused to be moved to hospital, insisting he wanted to die in prison. Nurses left him oxygen and monitored his condition every ten minutes. At 7:25 am, staff found Bishop had removed his oxygen mask. He admitted he’d been short of breath since the day before but hadn’t asked for help.
He finally agreed to hospital admission when paramedics arrived at 8:25 am. Tests revealed he had COVID-19. Despite medical care, Bishop died at 8:40 pm that evening.
Death Certified as COVID-19 Pneumonitis with Multiple Illnesses
The coroner accepted hospital findings that Bishop’s cause of death was COVID-19 pneumonitis. He also suffered from heart disease, heart failure, type 2 diabetes, and bowel cancer that had spread.
Neither the families of Karen Hadaway nor Nicola Fellows have made a statement on his death.
Prison Pays for Funeral, Attended by Chaplain
Bishop’s funeral was held on February 2, 2022. The prison funded the service, which was attended by his family liaison officer, deputy, and a prison chaplain who officiated.
