Due to the graphic nature of this killer's crimes, listener discretion is advised.

This episode includes discussions of murder and assault.

We advise extreme caution for children under 13.

In August of 1943, police constable John Reginald Christy

walked home to his dreary London flat after a day on the beat.

The job lent him a sense of power, purpose, and authority,

all of which was otherwise lacking in his life.

As he approached his house, Christy noticed a woman waiting for him on the doorstep.

She was tall, slender, and pretty. Her name was Ruth first.

The pair had met before, likely on Ruth's feet, as a sex worker.

Seeing her, Christy invited Ruth inside and they went upstairs for a cup of tea.

After the warm drink and some light conversation, they moved to the bedroom.

As they were having sex, there was a knock at the door.

It was a boy delivering a telegram about Christy's wife.

All of a sudden, a flood of emotions rushed through Christy's body, anger, inadequacy, fear.

But instead of feeling overwhelmed by his conflicting thoughts, Christy felt calm.

In that moment, he was more sure of himself than he'd ever been in his entire life.

Looking down at Ruth, he reached for a length of rope.

He knew exactly what he needed to do to make things right.

Hi, I'm Greg Polson. This is serial killers, a Spotify original from Parkast.

Every episode, we dive into the minds and madness of serial killers.

Today, we're covering John Reginald Christy, who terrorized London in the 1940s and 50s.

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