A new true crime documentary recounting the story of a 28-year-old mother killed by her husband while their children played nearby is airing on Crime+Investigation.
The one-off film, airing on Monday 25 November at 9pm, is part of a wider campaign aiming to educate around the issue of violence against women - one that's still pertinent.
The doc will tell the story of mother Hollie Kerrell, who disappeared from her home in Knucklas, mid-Wales, on 22nd April 2018.
Her concerned husband Chris Kerrell had sent texts to her friends and family asking about her whereabouts, but no one had seen her. Her husband told police they had argued and she'd stormed off, leaving her three kids behind.
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Within hours a 25-strong team of investigators including Detective Inspector Gareth Grant, Family Liaison Officers DC Alison Fletcher, DC Katie Wheeldon and lead by Detective Superintendent Anthony Griffiths of Dyfed-Powys Police began delving into the case.
Under arrest, Chris Kerrell maintained his innocence until mounting evidence revealed the horrifying truth.
The man had fetched a hammer from the shed before brutally bludgeoning his wife in her kitchen before strangling her. He then calming drank the cup of tea she'd made for herself, before cleaning up the blood and wrapping her body in plastic bags and old clothes.
He then proceeded to make his children lunch before driving them to his mother's farm, with Hollie's body in the back of the car, before leaving the kids with his mother and setting to burying her body in a shallow grave.
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The next day, he continued on normally, taking his children on the school run and telling everyone Hollie had left him and the children.
Courts heard how Hollie had sent her foster sister a text on the morning of her murder, saying: "He's just been in the shed and got a hammer." Her foster sister replied twice saying: "Ring the police. NOW!"
The couple had been married for five years but Hollie had decided to leave him, telling friends about his controlling behaviour. Hollie had also started seeing someone else.
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In a victim statement, Hollie's mum Claire Heaney told Kerrell: "Because of you I had to tell my grandchildren their mummy was dead and daddy was in prison because he hurt mummy so bad she had died.
"You took my soulmate from me and carved out my heart. You changed the axis on what my world turned I will never get over this."
The documentary comes as part of Crime+Investigation's End Abuse Against Women campaign, which aims to educate on the issue all through 2020.
Diana Carter, Executive producer for A+E Networks comments: "Murdered by my Husband: The Hollie Kerrell Story is a tragic tale of a mother's life taken in awful circumstances. But horrendously, domestic abuse against women is far more commonplace than many of us might realise.
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"As a brand, Crime+Investigation is at the forefront of highlighting issues such as domestic abuse and we're proud to be telling Hollie's story to help launch our global campaign that will help to educate the public and support victims in the UK and around the world."
Murdered by my Husband: The Hollie Kerrell Story airs on Monday 25th November at 9pm on Crime+Investigation, available on Sky 156, Virgin 275, BT 328 and TalkTalk 328.
Topics: True Crime, TV News, Real, TV Entertainment