Offender Record · OFF-2026-085
Stephen Griffiths (photo from the Radford University biography)
Stephen Shaun Griffiths
Also known as The Crossbow Cannibal, Ven Pariah
Sex
Male
Race
White
Height
6'0"
Born
1969
Custody
Incarcerated
States
GB
Distinguishing featuresKnown to walk pet lizards on leashes; studied serial killers obsessively
Custody
Sentenced to life imprisonment with whole life order on December 21, 2010; as of 2024-2025, reports indicate he may have been transferred to HMP Full Sutton.
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Summary of the record
Stephen Shaun Griffiths was convicted of three murders in December 2010 after pleading guilty to killing three sex workers—Susan Rushworth (43), Shelley Armitage (31), and Suzanne Blamires (36)—in Bradford, England between June 2009 and May 2010. He shot the victims with a crossbow, dismembered their bodies, and disposed of remains in the River Aire. Griffiths is currently incarcerated serving a whole-life sentence with no possibility of parole.
Documented Arrests, Charges and Convictions
Dispositions are shown exactly as the cited records report them. Pending charges are updated when a court acts; a record with no remaining conviction or pending charge is removed from the site.
Offense date Jun 22, 2009, Bradford, England
Murder of Susan Rushworth
West Yorkshire Police · Leeds Crown Court · Arrested May 24, 2010 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Life imprisonment with whole life order
Susan Rushworth, 43, disappeared June 22, 2009, and was not seen alive again. Her body was never recovered, though blood evidence was found in Griffiths' flat. She was shot with a crossbow and dismembered.
SourcesBradford murders; Stephen Shaun Griffiths; Video captures serial killer's chilling defiance
Offense date Apr 26, 2010, Bradford, England
Murder of Shelley Armitage
West Yorkshire Police · Leeds Crown Court · Arrested May 24, 2010 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Life imprisonment with whole life order
Shelley Armitage, 31, disappeared April 26, 2010. Video footage showed her being chased from Griffiths' flat; Griffiths was captured on CCTV shooting her with a crossbow. Her body was dismembered using power tools and disposed of in the River Aire; remains were recovered May 27, 2010. Video showed victim bound, with words 'My Sex Slave' written on her back.
SourcesBradford murders; Video captures serial killer's chilling defiance; Stephen Shaun Griffiths
Offense date May 21, 2010, Bradford, England
Murder of Suzanne Blamires
West Yorkshire Police · Leeds Crown Court · Arrested May 24, 2010 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Life imprisonment with whole life order
Suzanne Blamires, 36, disappeared May 21, 2010. She was lured to Griffiths' flat, held for two days, then shot with a crossbow as she tried to escape; the attack was captured on CCTV. Griffiths dismembered her body by hand and consumed portions of her flesh raw and cooked before dumping remains in the River Aire. Body discovered May 27, 2010.
SourcesBradford murders; Video captures serial killer's chilling defiance; Stephen Shaun Griffiths
Pattern and Background
Victim counts and the pattern of the offenses as stated by courts, agencies and the cited reporting. Suspected counts are what officials have said publicly, not a finding of this site.
3
Victims convicted
3
Victims confessed
5
Victims suspected
Active years
2009–2010
Stated motive
Power or control, Thrill
Range from home
local
Confessed
Yes
Education
graduate
Marital history
Never married
Children
0
Places Lived, Worked and Frequented
Each place and date range comes from a cited record. Dates marked approximate are as reported. Know a place that is missing? Use Edit record under the photo; a moderator reviews it before it appears.
GB
Dewsbury, England, United Kingdom
1969 – 1982 · Born in Batley/Thornhill area of Dewsbury, lived with both parents
Wakefield, England, United Kingdom
1982 – 1987 · Lived with mother following parental divorce; attended Queen Elizabeth Grammar School
Louth, England, United Kingdom
Jun 1987 – 1988 · Youth custody facility for shoplifting and knife assault; released 1988
Bradford, England, United Kingdom
1988 – 1988 · Bradford College, psychology course
Manningham, England, United Kingdom
1988 – 1997 · Flat in Manningham; enrolled at Bradford College studying psychology
Rampton, England, United Kingdom
May 1991 – 1991 · Rampton Special Hospital for psychiatric assessment; diagnosed sadistic schizoid psychopath
Leeds, England, United Kingdom
Jan 1992 – 1993 · Leeds Prison, 2-year sentence for holding knife to girl's throat
Bradford, England, United Kingdom
1997 – 2010 · Holmfield Court, Thornton Road, third-floor flat; lived there approximately 13 years before arrest
Leeds, England, United Kingdom
1997 – 2003 · Leeds University, Bachelor of Science in Psychology
Bradford, England, United Kingdom
2004 – 2010 · University of Bradford, PhD student in criminology/homicide studies
Wakefield, England, United Kingdom
May 26, 2010 – 2015 · HMP Wakefield following arrest May 26, 2010; convicted December 21, 2010
Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom
2015 – 2024 · HMP Long Lartin; attacked by prisoner in 2019 with sharpened wood, suffering chest puncture wounds
North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
2024 – present · Transferred to HMP Full Sutton (high-security prison in East Yorkshire); reported attacked by prisoners multiple times including February 2025
Timeline
Dec 24, 1969
Stephen Shaun Griffiths born in Batley, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, England.
Jun 1987
At age 18, Griffiths arrested for shoplifting and slashing supermarket manager's face with knife; sentenced to 3 years youth custody.
1988
Griffiths released from youth custody; moved to flat in Manningham and enrolled in psychology at Bradford College.
Sep 1989
Griffiths brought before Bradford Court for possession of air pistol and sentenced to 100 hours community service.
1991
Griffiths diagnosed as sadistic, schizoid psychopath.
May 1991
Griffiths sent to Rampton Hospital and diagnosed with personality disorder.
Jan 1992
Griffiths sentenced to 2 years in Leeds Prison for holding knife to girl's throat.
Mar 1993
Griffiths released from Leeds Prison sentence.
2003
Griffiths earns Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Leeds University.
Oct 2004
Griffiths enrolls at University of Bradford for PhD in criminology.
Jan 2009
Griffiths given conditional discharge from Wakefield for harassment.
Jun 22, 2009
Susan Rushworth, 43, last seen in Manningham; Griffiths' first victim in active series.
Apr 26, 2010
Shelley Armitage, 31, last seen in Bradford; Griffiths' second victim.
May 21, 2010
Suzanne Blamires, 36, disappears from Allerton; Griffiths' third and final victim.
May 24, 2010
Griffiths arrested on suspicion of murders following caretaker discovery of CCTV footage showing attack on Blamires.
May 27, 2010
Griffiths charged with murders of Rushworth, Blamires, and Armitage; body parts confirmed found in River Aire.
May 28, 2010
Griffiths appears at Bradford Magistrates' Court; when asked for his name, responds 'The Crossbow Cannibal.'
Dec 21, 2010
Griffiths pleads guilty to all three murders at Leeds Crown Court; sentenced to life imprisonment with whole life order.
2011
Griffiths goes on 120-day hunger strike and makes suicide attempts while in Wakefield Prison.
Jan 22, 2012
Griffiths attempts suicide in prison by attempting to slash wrists with smuggled razor blade; suffers self-harm injuries.
2019
Griffiths attacked by fellow prisoner at HMP Long Lartin with sharpened wood; suffers large chest puncture wounds but survives.
2024
Griffiths reported transferred to HMP Full Sutton in East Yorkshire.
Sources
Solve the Case is never the original source. Each item below is the public record a statement on this page rests on, with an archived copy where one exists.
News report · Wikipedia ·
Bradford murders“On 21 December 2010, Griffiths was convicted of all three murders after pleading guilty”
News report · Crime & Investigation ·
The Crossbow Cannibal“24 December 1969 Stephen Griffiths is born; 1989 Griffiths is convicted of possessing an air pistol”
News report · Murderpedia ·
Stephen Shaun Griffiths“Stephen Shaun Griffiths, born on 24 December 1969 in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, was arrested and in May 2010 he appeared in the magistrates' court”
Other · Radford University, Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: Griffiths, Stephen“12/21/2010: Griffith pleads guilty to three murders and is sentenced to life in prison”
News report · All That's Interesting ·
Stephen Griffiths, The 'Crossbow Cannibal' Behind The Bradford Murders“In 1991, Griffiths was diagnosed as a 'sadistic, schizoid psychopath'”
News report · Skip Boring ·
Stephen Griffiths: The Crossbow Cannibal Who Killed 3 Women“He had apparently moved to HMP Full Sutton by 2024, the high-security prison in East Yorkshire”
News report · The Review Geek ·
Where is Stephen Griffiths now?“Griffiths is serving his life sentence at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire”
News report · CNN ·
Video captures serial killer's chilling defiance“Griffiths was sentenced December 21 to three terms of life in prison after pleading guilty”
News report · Yorkshire Post ·
Crossbow Cannibal Stephen Griffiths in prison suicide bid“Griffiths, 40, was taken to the care wing at the prison, where he is being held”
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