A letter which is claimed to be the last one penned by notorious serial killer Dennis Nilsen before he died in prison has been put on display at a crime museum.
Nilsen, who died in May 2018, murdered at least 15 young men and boys in London during the 70s and 80s.
The maniac, who features in an ITV drama this week, played by David Tennant, lured victims to his flat, strangled or drowned them, and stored their bodies for long periods before dissecting them.
Museum owner George Bamby-Salvador told in an interview that he exchanged letters with Nilsen after discovering he was the son of notorious prisoner Charles Bronson Salvador.
He claims he was sent a chilling letter by Nilsen and has displayed it at the Real Crime Museum in Torquay, Devon.
Nilsen murdered at least 15 young men and boys in London during the 70s and 80s (Image: SWNS)
The note gives no hint Nilsen was responsible for such brutal killing and contains a ‘poem’, and discusses nostalgic memories of his time as a boy soldier in the early 60s in Cornwall and Devon
And he makes jokes about seagulls, the decline of the fishing industry, and even Brexit.
Nilsen wrote: “As a boy soldier in the early 1960s I spent three Summer Camps at Fort Tregantal in Cornwall and also completed ‘exercises’ in Devon [usually on Dartmoor where I often route-marched past the prison, but didn’t go in].
The chilling letter is on display at the newly-opened Real Crime Museum in Torquay, Devon
“Later, in 1968-69 I was posted, with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, to Plymouth at Seaton Barracks in Crownhill, after I had returned from Aden in South Yemen where a rebellion had just ended with its independence.”
He also tells how he was a boy soldier with ‘a couple of West Country lads’ and ‘one comrade having been from Paignton itself.
“I grew fond of the ambiance of the West Country character in all my 11 years in the army,” he said.
The letter then makes light-hearted remarks about seagulls ‘bombing’ tourists and helpful advice to ‘city folk’ to hold on to their pasties.
A crime drama about his Nilsen’s life, Des aired on ITV this week (Image: Unknown)
The pair exchanged about eight letters with the final one dated February 28, 2018, less than three months before his death.
George says the letter is extremely rare because Nilsen didn’t share his thoughts with many people.
He said: “At the end of the day he was a murderer, necrophile and complete lunatic and there is no hiding from that but with my interest in crime to be able to communicate directly with probably the most infamous serial killer was a fascinating experience.”
George claims Nilsen reveals more about his crimes in other letters, saying: “He tried to portray to me that what he did was just that – something he did – and he didn’t mean anything by it. It was really peculiar and he is almost blasé about it.
Des stars David Tennant as Dennis Nilsen (Image: Daily Record)
“It was like me or you just explaining about going out to the cinema or down the pub.”
Dennis Nilsen died at the age of 72 on May 12 2018, after 34 years in prison.
He is said to have experienced “excruciating stomach pain” when he died.
The murderer was found “lying in his own faeces, steadily deteriorating”, after he had suffered an abdominal aortic aneurism, according to the inquest.
He had been taken to hospital for abdominal pains two days before he died.
Nilsen had an operation, but later suffered a blood clot.
The medical cause of death was a pulmonary embolism and retroperitoneal haemorrhage, linked to the ruptured aneurysm.
Fans watched Dennis Nilsen’s gruesome story on ITV this week in a drama, with the serial killer played by David Tennant.
It also delved into the police investigation and the media coverage of his trial.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
