Daughter of Soham Killer Ian Huntley Left “Disgusted” by Funeral Cost Inquiry
The daughter of notorious child killer Ian Huntley has spoken out about the profound distress and anger she experienced when approached by police regarding the funeral arrangements for her father. Samantha Bryan, who has had no contact with Huntley for most of her life, was left “disgusted” by the inquiry, which she believes was solely based on her biological connection to the convicted murderer.
Huntley, who was serving a life sentence for the horrific murders of ten-year-old schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002, was bludgeoned to death in a prison workshop earlier this month. The 52-year-old sustained catastrophic head injuries from a “spiked metal pole” and died days later. Anthony Russell, 43, has since been charged with his murder and is due to appear in court.
In the aftermath of Huntley’s death, Samantha, from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, was contacted by two police officers. They inquired about her willingness to contribute to her father’s funeral costs, a prospect that left her incensed. This interaction, lasting approximately 30 minutes, highlighted the ongoing burden of her father’s crimes on her life, despite her complete lack of involvement with him.
Samantha’s discovery of Huntley’s identity as her father was a traumatic experience in itself. At the age of 14, during a school project on crime, she stumbled upon a blurry online photograph of her mother with him. Her mother, Katie Bryan, 45, had been groomed and abused by Huntley at the tender age of 15, becoming pregnant at 16 before managing to escape his clutches.
Ten days after Huntley’s death, Samantha was presented with the proposition of contributing to his funeral. She unequivocally refused any involvement, stating her desire to have no connection to him, even in death. She was informed that she could be held liable for funeral expenses, potentially exceeding £3,000. Samantha firmly believes the inquiry was made “purely” because of her biological link to Huntley.
A Life Defined by Her Father’s Crimes
“I had nothing to do with him in life and now I want nothing to do with him in death,” Samantha told The Sun, expressing her deep-seated feelings. “They asked if I wanted to take on the responsibility, purely because I am his biological daughter. He does not deserve the dignity of a funeral after what he did. I don’t want any involvement.”
Her mother echoed these sentiments, describing the proposition from officers as “the final indignity” that Samantha has had to face. She believes that even in death, the Soham killer continues to be a “blight” on her daughter’s life. Both mother and daughter share the view that Huntley’s ashes should be disposed of at sea, a sentiment reminiscent of the fate of Moors Murderer Ian Brady’s remains. Samantha has previously expressed her hope that her father’s ashes would be “flushed down the toilet,” believing “the devil is waiting” for him.
Despite her father’s notoriety, Samantha made multiple attempts to connect with him via letters from prison starting in 2019. She had hoped to meet him, not to offer forgiveness, but to gain some understanding of the 2002 murders. Huntley, in a chilling handwritten letter reported in 2024, acknowledged her as his daughter and expressed his love but repeatedly denied her requests to meet, stating, “I doubt there will be enough time for a significant shift in circumstances in order for us to ever meet.” This response led Samantha to abandon all hope of uncovering the truth, stepping away “for the sake of my sanity and my future,” as the letter confirmed his “s****y” character.
Samantha felt that Huntley’s refusal to provide answers about the murders was a desperate attempt to maintain attention. She characterised him as a “pitiful, twisted, manipulative coward.” While relieved she will never meet him, she expressed profound anger and sadness that she will never obtain the answers craved by the families of Holly and Jessica.
A Mother’s Trauma and a Daughter’s Burden
Katie Bryan, Samantha’s mother, also from Cleethorpes, endured her own harrowing experience with Huntley. She was groomed and abused by him, then 23, when she was just 15 years old. She alleges a period of rape, abuse, and degradation throughout this underage relationship. Huntley, in his letter to Samantha, dismissed these allegations, denying he ever harmed Katie. This denial left Samantha stunned but unwavering in her belief in her mother’s account, viewing his words as a further attempt at manipulation.
News of Huntley’s attack in prison reached Katie via a family friend who had read about it online. The news was deeply upsetting, prompting her to immediately contact her daughter. Samantha described the moment, saying, “Genuinely for a second I felt like the little girl I was before I knew anything about him.” She has drawn parallels between her father and infamous serial killers like Fred and Rose West, as well as Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper.
Both Samantha, now a beautician, and her mother, a finishing operative, believe Huntley’s attack was a form of revenge for his heinous crimes, attributing it also to his inherently “cowardly and evil nature.” Katie, who has herself faced brutal attacks due to her connection with Huntley, harboured fears that he might request to see his daughter in his final moments, a prospect she desperately wished to avoid to protect Samantha from further “taint.” She prayed he would never wake up from his injuries.
This recent attack is reportedly the third time Huntley has been targeted in prison, and he has also attempted suicide twice. Katie expressed her revulsion at the thought of Huntley taking the truth about the murders to his grave, emphasizing that the girls’ parents deserve closure and are “always in her thoughts.” She remains sceptical of any confession, even if he survives the attack.
Previously, in 2023, Samantha had publicly pleaded with her father to “find the courage to finally tell the truth.” She recounted how her life had been “poisoned” by the Soham murders, leading to counselling, impacting her employment and relationships, and causing constant nightmares. The public’s reaction, including comments like “Your father is a monster” or “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” had deeply affected her, leading to isolation and relationship difficulties. Huntley had become a “bogeyman” in her life, akin to the Yorkshire Ripper or Fred West.
Samantha’s desire to know if her father felt any remorse, and to pass on the truth to Holly and Jessica’s families, stemmed from a profound sadness at their enduring lack of answers. She acknowledged thinking about it “far more than I should.”
The Unanswered Questions and Lingering Torment
The pain of the unanswered questions surrounding the murders has been a source of ongoing torment for the victims’ families. Following Huntley’s conviction in 2003, Jessica’s father, Leslie Chapman, expressed a grim hope to see him in a coffin. Holly’s parents, Kevin and Nicola Wells, spoke of their “never-ending torment of uncertainty” due to Huntley’s refusal to confess the full truth of their daughter’s final moments.
In court, Huntley offered conflicting accounts, initially claiming both girls died accidentally – Holly drowning in his bath and Jessica being suffocated while he tried to silence her cries. However, in 2018, he confessed to intentionally killing Jessica to prevent her from raising the alarm, while still maintaining Holly’s death was accidental. Samantha was only four years old when the horrific crimes occurred.
An inquest into the death of Ian Huntley is scheduled to commence next month, promising further scrutiny into the circumstances surrounding his demise.
