A convicted murderer, who kept quiet about the whereabouts of his wife’s body after killing her, is scheduled for release from prison as per a decision by the Parole Board.
Glyn Razzell, aged 41 at the time, was imprisoned in 2003 for the murder of his estranged wife Linda, who went missing in Swindon the year before while on her way to work. Despite years passing and Razzell, now in his late 60s, maintaining his innocence, he has yet to disclose what happened to her.
Having made several parole attempts over the years, Razzell’s latest bid, although noted for his ongoing refusal, has been approved. The Parole Board’s decision was solely based on assessing the potential risk to the public upon his release and determining that he no longer posed a threat, despite acknowledging his persistent lack of cooperation.
In a previous parole hearing in 2023, where his request was denied, Razzell admitted to the panel that the victim was likely deceased, contrary to his earlier claims of her still being alive. The details behind the recent ruling were disclosed in a document provided to the BBC, sparking outrage from Linda’s relatives.
Greg Worrall, who was engaged to the victim when she disappeared, expressed that the ruling would add further strain to the family and himself. The family criticized the decision for seemingly disregarding Helen’s Law, which obliges the Parole Board to consider the anguish caused by murderers who withhold information about their victims’ whereabouts.
Enacted in 2020 in memory of Helen McCourt, a victim from Merseyside whose killer Ian Simms only disclosed her whereabouts upon his death in 2022, Helen’s Law was taken into account by the Parole Board during Razzell’s case review.
Addressing the family’s distress, the board stated, “Refusal to disclose the victim’s body location should not impede release.”
The Ministry of Justice confirmed it was exploring options to challenge the board’s ruling through a reconsideration process. A spokesperson mentioned that officials were assessing the grounds to challenge the Parole Board’s decision on behalf of the Secretary of State for Justice.
Linda Razzell was last seen in March 2002 while parking her car in Swindon amid ongoing divorce proceedings with her estranged husband.
Initially participating in media appeals after her disappearance, Razzell was later arrested, charged, and convicted of her murder. The conviction was based on forensic evidence, including traces of her blood discovered in a car he had used, leading to a life sentence with a minimum term of 16 years behind bars.
