Worse Than Murder: 2. Alick, Darling

The day after Muriel McKay is snatched from her home, the police gather all the physical evidence they can, and tabloid reporters crowd the pavements outside the house, trying to get a piece of the action.

Muriel’s family are desperately trying to make sense of calls by a mysterious man, M3, who claims he has Muriel, and that he’ll return her if the family delivers him a £1 million ransom. It’s only when he sends them a letter, in Muriel’s own handwriting, that they know for sure he’s the most credible suspect.

Worse Than Murder - A tragic case of mistaken identity that shook Britain and launched a tabloid war.

One winter’s night in 1969, kidnappers targeting Rupert Murdoch’s wife abducted Muriel McKay by mistake. She was never seen again. Jane MacSorley investigates this shocking crime which baffled police and, more than 50 years on, remains unresolved.

Presented by Jane MacSorley with Simon Farquhar

Produced by Nadia Mehdi, with extra production from Paul Russell and Megan Oyinka

Sound design and mixing by Basil Oxtoby

Story editor: Andrew Dickson

Executive producers: Neil Cowling, Michaela Hallam, Jago Lee and Rami Tzabar

Development by Paul Russell

Voice acting by Red Frederick

Original music composed by Richard Atkinson for Mcasso

A Fresh Air and Tell Tale production for BBC Radio 4