CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON AND HIS SHOCKING MURDER OF MELANIE ROAD IN BATH AND BATH

Every morning, Christopher Hampton, a painter and decorator based in Bath, would follow his usual routine. Wearing his white overalls, he would kiss his wife Julie goodbye on their doorstep before heading off to work in his silver Toyota. This daily ritual was a well-established part of their lives, seemingly reflecting a happy and stable marriage.

The couple moved into a tidy end-of-terrace house in the Fishponds district of Bath nearly twenty years ago. Their neighborhood was regarded as a wholesome community ideal for raising children, offering local parks and various amenities that contributed to a pleasant family life. They were judged to be diligent parents; their daughter Amy recently announced her engagement, and their son Darren worked as a consultant in the insurance industry.

Christopher Hampton dedicated himself tirelessly to providing for his family. He initially worked with a local decorating firm before transitioning to freelance work, securing major commercial contracts throughout the Bristol area. Even at the age of 64, his skills remained highly sought after in the industry. Unlike many of his colleagues, Hampton did not frequent pubs after completing a hard day's work. Instead, he was a quiet, reserved individual with a hobby that involved collecting war medals, reflecting his calm demeanor.

His wife, Julie, aged 55, supported the family by working part-time in a shop. According to neighbors, she was a lovely person who often checked in on others, including a neighbor who lost his wife a few years prior. She was known for her kindness, visiting her neighbor's home regularly to ensure everything was alright. The couple was considered exemplary neighbors, and their presence in the community was valued by those around them.

However, this peaceful façade was shattered on a fateful morning in July when police arrived at their residence, initiating a dramatic and all-too-familiar scene of police search and arrest, reminiscent of scenes often seen depicted on television. As officers in white boiler suits moved through their home and garden, Christopher Hampton was informed, "You do not have to say anything, Mr. Hampton, but it may harm your defence." He was subsequently led away in handcuffs, marking the beginning of a significant investigation.

Witnesses recalled that on the day of his arrest, Hampton’s wife asked whether she would see him that evening, to which he replied dismissively: "No, you won't." She then asked if she would see him the following day, and his response was again negative. Unbeknownst to her at the time, this chilling exchange was rooted in a horrifying secret that would later be uncovered.

The truth was contained in a faded newspaper clipping from 1984 with the headline, "Frenzied knifeman kills A-level girl." The victim was Melanie Road, a 17-year-old girl whose mutilated body was discovered just 200 yards from her Bath home. The attack had occurred the night before, after Melanie left a city center club, and she was subjected to a brutal stabbing, being stabbed 26 times in the chest and back. The crime scene revealed that she had been raped while she was dying, making this a particularly heinous and shocking murder.

For more than 30 years, the perpetrator of Melanie's murder remained at large. It was only after a series of forensic investigations that the shocking truth emerged—Christopher Hampton was the man responsible. What had been thought of as an isolated case was finally linked to Hampton through advanced DNA analysis, which uncovered a match to evidence found at the scene and to samples obtained from his daughter from his first marriage in 2014. His daughter had been involved in a petty domestic dispute that led to her DNA being collected and added to the police database.

Scientists were able to identify a partial DNA match from the samples, which ultimately connected Hampton to Melanie’s murder. This discovery led investigators directly to him, with further evidence confirming his guilt. Criminologist Dr. Jane Monckton-Smith expressed her view that Hampton’s ability to resume a normal life after such a violent act suggested psychopathic tendencies. She explained that serial killers often demonstrate this trait—being able to rapidly revert to normal behavior after committing dreadful crimes.

There has been speculation about whether Hampton might have committed other murders. Some similarities between Melanie Road’s 1984 case and the 1996 murder of Melanie Hall, also in Bath, have prompted questions. Both women, named Melanie, were murdered on June 9—leaving after leaving a Bath nightclub—and their bodies were later discovered. Despite these eerie similarities, authorities have not established any connection between Hampton and Melanie Hall’s death, and they do not believe he was responsible for additional crimes beyond Melanie Road’s murder.

Criminological experts suggest that individuals capable of such violent acts often display disturbing behavioral patterns during childhood, such as cruelty to animals. When asked if there were any early warning signs, Hampton’s brother Michael from Somerset was taken aback and said there was nothing to suggest such a dark future for his brother. The only childhood issue noted was a minor incident involving a catapult and a bus window, for which Hampton was disciplined.

Christopher Hampton, one of five siblings born to a demolition worker, grew up in Bath and attended Larkhall School. During his school years, he met Pauline Day, who became his first wife. They were considered inseparable, with family members believing they would marry. Pauline was pregnant with their daughter Clare when they tied the knot in 1972. Hampton sought work as a decorator during these years, building a reputation as a hardworking man.

His marriage to Pauline lasted only a few years, ending shortly after the birth of their third child. Hampton then moved into a flat in Broad Street, Bath, with a woman he was dating at the time. It was during this period that he committed the heinous crimes against Melanie Road. Melanie and her family lived about half a mile away in the suburb of Lansdown, where her father, Anthony, a former civil servant, and her mother Jean, a teacher, resided.

Melanie’s death shocked the city; her body was discovered by a milkman who found her after she had been stabbed 26 times and sexually assaulted near her home. The incident remained unsolved for years until the recent forensic breakthrough linked Hampton to the crime.

In 1984, Hampton remarried—this time, to Julie, with whom he would spend the next sixteen years. They had two children together, Amy and Darren, and moved to Bristol. A neighbor described Hampton as the epitome of a gentleman, and his wife was a devoted mother. They appeared to be a loving family, living in a quiet, leafy part of the city, with a detached garage and proximity to parks.

The secret, however, was concealed until a petty domestic dispute involving Hampton’s daughter Clare in 2014 led to a DNA sample that ultimately tied him to Melanie Road’s murder. His arrest followed, and over the subsequent months, he remained silent, showing no emotion during police interviews. His wife Julie continued to support him, believing him to be innocent until he finally changed his plea to guilty at his trial.

Neighbors expressed their shock and sympathy, acknowledging that they had been unaware of Hampton’s true nature. Many felt compassion for Julie, who was now seemingly a victim as well, living in fearful silence. The tragic story extended further, with Melanie Road’s mother, Jean, reflecting on the devastating loss of her daughter, whom she had last seen jokingly telling her to expect a red carpet before her final moments.

Despite Hampton’s eventual confession, he showed no remorse or apology, embodying the darkness he had hidden from everyone for decades. His true character, now revealed, casts a long shadow over the peaceful life he once led, reminding us of the terrifying reality that some monsters can reside behind the most ordinary façades.