"Fred the Head" is the nickname given to a man whose remains were found in a shallow grave in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England in 1971. It is strongly believed, but not confirmed, that he was murdered.
In 2021, on the 50th anniversary of his discovery, a fresh appeal was made in order to establish his identity.
Case[]
The man's body was discovered in a clandestine grave, being bound and in a foetal position. The material used to restrain him originated from Bradford, West Yorkshire. He was likely disposed of at the scene by one or more individuals following a "rough track", as the only other route at the time was secured.
Authorities are also exploring a theory that he may have been a victim of serial killer Anthony Hardy, although this offender's confirmed victims have exclusively been women. The possibility of the decedent potentially being misidentified as male was suggested, but disproved by investigators.
Characteristics[]
- Short, brown to black, straight hair.
- Thin build.
- Extensive dental work.
- Partial upper denture, likely fitted less than six months prior to death.
- Neck condition (wry neck/torticollis), which would have caused his head to lean to the right.
- Protruding chin.
- Small hands.
- Well-maintained short fingernails.
Clothing and accessories[]
- Single yellow sock, though sources vary; suspected purchase from Burton Market.
- Gold wedding ring, manufactured in 1967/68 by Henry Showell Ltd, based in Birmingham; limited production of 5,000.
Gallery[]
Sources[]
- Fred the Head at the Doe Network
- Fred the Head at the UK Missing Persons Unit
- Fred the Head on Wikipedia
- Staffordshire Live:
- Article #1 (26/7/17)
- Article #2 (23/1/21)
- Article #3 (21/2/21)