Duplicitous Killers Who Sought Public's Help

In May 2012, Mick Philpott and two accomplices—his wife and friend—burned down his Derby, England home. They killed six of his children in a scheme to look heroic. Philpott had a history of beating, controlling, and abusing women.Philpott intended to frame a former romantic partner for the fire and rescue the children. In court, Philpott tried to seem sad about his children's deaths. The judge said, "Ever since the fire your life has been a performance for the public and the police, and then in this court... Your conduct has been punctuated by collapses and shows of distress designed to evoke sympathy where none is merited, designed to manipulate emotion."Philpott had experience in front of the camera. His unconventional life, which included a live-in mistress and seventeen children, appeared on British reality TV. Philpott and his wife, Mairead, held a press conference after the fire. Philpott tried to play the grieving father, but he fooled no one, especially his ex-wife, Heather Kehoe, who knew his act. She told reporters, "Crocodile tears to me should be..."

Mick Philpott's 'Fake Tears Couldn't Put Out This Blaze' appears in the list 'Duplicitous Killers Who Sought Public's Help'.Define Mick Philpott.Andrews held a press conference, begging the public for killer information. She held Harvey's mother's hand and sat beside Harvey's parents, crying while giving a false story. She claimed the real person was a "fat man with staring eyes".

In 1996, Tracie Andrews stabbed her fiancé, Lee Harvey, 37 times with a pen knife. She slashed his throat and let him die in the countryside of Worcestershire, England. Authorities charged Andrews with murder; she served 14 years in prison, but she tried to shift the blame.

Andrews held a press conference, begging the public for killer information. She heldHarvey's mother's handand sat by Harvey's parents, crying as she gave a false story. She claimed the real person was a"fat man with staring eyes"who used road rage and said this killer punched her before attacking Harvey.

Nine-year-old Shannon Matthews became national news in England after vanishing from her West Yorkshire school in 2008. Her mother, Karen Matthews, first told police Shannon was missing. Karen also made public pleas for information. Karen and an accomplice (her boyfriend's uncle, Michael Donovan) were the kidnappers, seeking the reward for Shannon's return. Before others knew the truth, Karen Matthews acted strangely, playing Xbox with her boyfriend and dancing.Karen Matthews alternated between crying and playing Xbox after kidnapping her daughter.Karen Matthews alternated between crying and playing Xbox after kidnapping her daughter.

The investigation cost police over three million pounds.The investigation led to Donovan's apartment.Shannon Matthews was hidden under a bed and drugged in Donovan's apartment. After her mother's trial and conviction, Shannon got a new identity and family; Karen's six other children also moved to new homes.

In Cheshire, England, Iftikar and Farzana Ahmed forced a plastic bag down their teenage daughter Shafilea's throat, choking her to death in front of her siblings. They did this reportedly because the teen wore "western" clothes or defied their wish for an arranged marriage.. Shafilea's remains surfaced in a river bank months later. Nine years after the murder, Iftikar and Farzana faced charges. After their second oldest daughter was arrested for robbery, she admitted seeing her parents kill her sister, and the lies started to fall apart.Farzana and Iftikar both appeared on TV. They claimed innocence and looked sad in interviews, talking about their love for their daughter. During the trial, they denied fault. Farzana Ahmed later changed her story, blaming her husband for abusing Shafilea.In September 1994, police found Gordon Wardell.After Iftikar and Farzana were implicated in the murder, they went to jail. When their second oldest daughter was arrested for robbery, she confessed she saw her parents kill her sister, and the lies started to fall apart.

Farzana and Iftikar both...John Sharpe, also known as the "Mornington Monster," killed his pregnant wife Anna and their 20-month-old daughter Gracie at their home near Melbourne, Australia in March 2004. Sharpe shot a spear gun into his wife's head. Four days later, he shot his young daughter. He cut up his wife's body and threw it in the trash with his daughter's corpse.They claimed innocence and looked sad in interviews, talking about how much they loved their daughter. During the trial, they denied blame, but Farzana Ahmed changed her story, blaming her husband for abusing Shafilea.

Police found Gordon Wardell in September 1994.Gordon WardellPolice found Wardell bound and gagged in his underwear in his Meriden, England home. Police found Wardell this way after a motorist spotted his wife Carol's body by the road. Gordon claimed a masked gang broke in, attacked, bound him, and took his wife. Gordon showed crocodile tears later, appearing at press conferences in a wheelchair he did not need.

Police arrested Gordon eventually, partly because his story about events was inconsistent and unbelievable. He faced charges and a conviction for her murder in 1995.

John SharpeSharpe, also known as the "Mornington Monster," killed his pregnant wife Anna and their 20-month-old daughter Gracie at their home near Melbourne, Australia in March 2004. Sharpe shot a spear gun into his wife's head, then shot his young daughter four days later. He cut up his wife's body and threw it in the trash with his daughter's corpse.

Sharpe pretended his wife left him and took their child. He seemed emotional in TV interviews and...wiped away tearsEvidence grew, though, Sharpe admitted to the murders and received a life sentence.

In August 2002, Justin Barber shot his wife April in the face on a beach in Jacksonville, FL. They were celebrating their third wedding anniversary and had just eaten at an Italian restaurant. Barber claimed a tall man with a pistol and a loose T-shirt attacked the couple, demanding money and car keys. Barber said he tried to shield his wife by jumping in front of her and fighting the attacker, but the gun fired, shooting Barber in the shoulders, hand, and nipple. He survived while she was shot and killed.

Hundreds gathered for April's funeral. Many saw Barber acted like he wanted to cry, not actually crying. During the trial, prosecutors showed a 2003 deposition. Barber showed an eerie calm and dabbed his eyes to look emotional. Barber saved his tears for an interview on amemorable episode ofForensic FilesBarber scrunched his face and bawled fake tears.

Barber received life imprisonment without parole. The murder happened after he shot a$2 million life insurance policyon his wife, and he likely had an affair.

In 1997,Darren Vickers was a 28-year-old bus driverwho was the last person linked to missing 8-year-old Jamie Lavis. Vickers was very upset. He said he loved Jamie; they had fun riding around Manchester, England on Vickers's route. Vickers befriended Lavis's family and gave tearful interviews, asking anyone with information about the boy to speak up. Police suspected Vickers had some involvement. His behavior seemed obsessive. The police instincts proved right. Vickers wrote a 15-page confession, which he took back then later put back. In the statement, he claimed Jamie's death was an accident. Vickers got life imprisonment.

Mark Galante killed his pregnant wife Jody in front of their two-year-old child in early 2006. Jody was missing for a week when her body was found in the Sydney, Australia bushland. She had a gunshot wound to the head, and attention shifted to her husband,who denied any involvement.

Galante started crying on TV after the crime but before her body surfaced. He begged viewers to report any facts to help find his "angel."he begged to help find his "angel."Months later, Galante faced murder charges and pleaded guilty. He said his marriage was strained and his wife had an affair and was pregnant with another man's child. This lie failed: Galante cheated. He got 27 years in jail.

Stuart Hazell smothered 12-year-old Tia Sharp, his girlfriend's granddaughter, in August 2012. He then took pictures of the girl's body, wrapped it in sheets, andhid it in his South London lofthome, where he shared it with the grandmother. Police found it on the fourth search of his place. Hazell later claimed Tia went shopping and forgot her phone.

After Tia vanished, Hazell joined the local search party and handed out flyers. He even joined the candlelightvigil. Innews footageHazell bowed his head, trailing Tia's family mournfully. He often gave false accounts to escape trouble, but Tia's body discovery ended the pretense.

AustralianMatthew WalesMatthew Wales killed his rich mother and stepfather in May 2002, which the Melbourne media called the "Society MurdersWales, furious about his mother's wealth and distance from it, poisoned and bludgeoned them both dead. He then dumped their bodies in a shallow grave in the forest. Homicide detectives soon focused on Wales, but not before he put on a show.

At thefuneralWales appeared tearful at his parents' funeral and seemed close to his remaining family. Matthew Wales received a guilty verdict in 2003, receiving a sentence of30 yearswith a minimum of 24 years without parole.

In 2010, Kristi Abrahams severely beat her six-year-old daughter Kiesha at their Australian home. She did not get medical help.slowly letting her die. Abrahams and her partner, Robert Smith, hid the crime by putting Kiesha's body in a suitcase, burning it, and burying it shallowly. During the police investigation, Abrahams tearfully admitted togiving her child a little "nudge."" It was revealed that Abrahams had physically abused the child for years.

Abrahams first called the police, claiming her daughter was missing. This act lasted eight months. At one public moment, Abrahams, wearing black sunglasses, groaned and wept into a tissue, explaining her difficult time: "You don’t know until you put yourself in my shoes."Police finally figured out her position. She received a 16-year prison sentence, and Smith got 12.