Michelle Cleaver has told the Mirror of her emotional reaction to the death of George Stephenson who was jailed in 1986 for his role in the horrific massacre that killed five
A woman whose parents and grandparents were murdered in the notorious 1986 Fordingbridge massacre has told the Mirror Online she feels “elation” but also “numb” after the evil murderer died in jail.
Michelle Cleaver gave a powerful and emotional reaction to the death of George Stephenson. She said she felt ‘elation’ then felt ‘numb’ but now ‘overwhelming sadness’ over the tragic loss of her beloved family in an act of ‘unbridled sadism’. Melissa’s grandparents Joseph and Hilda Cleaver, both 82, their son Tom, 47, and his wife Wendy, 46 – Melissa’s parents – and nurse Maggie Murphy, 70, were all killed. It was a crime that shocked the country. Brave Melissa was distraught when Stephenson tried, and failed, to get parole in 2023.
She told the Mirror: ‘If you had asked me a few months ago what my reaction would be to Stephenson’s death, I might have answered that it would bring a sense of closure – if only because we’d be spared the anxiety or having to go through another parole application. However, the reality has been very different.
“Three days ago, when I received the news of Stephenson’s death in prison, it evoked a range of emotions including some that I would not have expected to feel.
“First a feeling of elation no-one capable of such unbridled sadism deserved to live. This was the end of nearly four decades of living with the the appalling horror and cruelty of his crime.
“However, this was quickly replaced with regret that my brother, Jason, and so many friends and family who have since passed away aren’t here to witness Stephenson’s death and share my relief that he will never be released.
“Surprisingly, though, as the news began to fully sink in, I was taken over by an overwhelming sadness and grief as if I was right back in the wake of that dreadful night that I lost my parents and grandparents.
“Today, I just feel numb. I can see that this is not going to be the ‘end’ that I had expected and I believe that it’ll take time before I can begin what I hope will eventually be a healing process.”
Stephenson, 73, was jailed for the horrific crimes at Burgate House in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in September 1986. Stephenson had once been employed at Burgate House as a handyman.
The trial judge recommended a minimum jail term of 25 years but it was later increased to 35 years and he lost his controversial bid for parole in December 2023.
A Prison Service spokesperson said Stephenson died in hospital on 20 April and that he had been jailed at the high security HMP Full Sutton, near York. Stephenson had previous convictions for 70 offences between 1967 and 1987 before his imprisonment, including burglaries, motor offences, drug possession, obtaining property by deception and violence.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “HMP Full Sutton prisoner George Stephenson died in hospital on 20 April 2025. As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
Melissa is just relieved that Stephenson never set foot out of jail again.