"Could have been trophies" — Reddit digs into Fred West’s disturbing obsession with kneecaps

A recent discussion on Reddit has brought back the public’s attention to a particular aspect of British serial killer Fred West’s crimes: his obsession with his victims’ kneecaps.

Reddit users who reviewed old forensic records, court proceedings, and media reports on the case found a recurring pattern: many of the victims’ kneecaps were missing or severely damaged. This new internet investigation put old facts into a new context.

The discussion began on a thread in a subreddit called r/serialkillers on Reddit, where users analyzed the disappearance of Fred West’s victims’ kneecaps.

“As far as I know, it's not known why he did that. The kneecaps and fingers could have been trophies. He was a pretty sick man,” commented one user.

Why did Fred West remove the kneecaps of his and Rose’s victims? byu/PriestofJudas inserialkillers

Similarly, others also shared their opinions on the comment section.

“Not sure if it has ever been confirmed if it was done post or ante mortem. Obvious answer is souvenir-taking, which is common enough amongst serial killers. If it was done ante-mortem, it could have been just a particularly sadistic way to stop victims fleeing. The Wests generally liked to torture at leisure,” commented one user.

“I think that Fred West removed the victims kneecaps,toes,and fingers while they were still alive. The victims;some of them strung up to a ceiling beam in their cellar;were tortured for up to a week,by Fred,Rose plus other accomplices. Removing fingers,toes,and kneecaps will not kill the victim.It was brutal sadism,” commented another user.

“I think we would know more if we ever found one of those fingers, toes or shoulder blades,” commented another.

The comments suggest a possible reason behind the removal of the knee bones, stating that they may have been kept as a trophy. In criminal cases, a trophy is an object that a criminal keeps after a crime. There is no confirmation of this theory in this case, but the idea has surfaced in discussions on Reddit.

According to BBC and The Independent reports, many of the bodies recovered from the excavation at 25 Cromwell Street were found to be missing limbs, particularly fingers and knee bones. For example, these amputations were observed in the remains of Lucy Partington, Shirley Hubbard, and Juanita Mott.

Some users on Reddit speculated that if the kneecaps were removed before the victims’ death, it may have been a cruel strategy to prevent the possibility of escape. Although Fred West never made a statement, it has been established that much of his violence was planned and repetitive.

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Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story sheds light on Fred West’s crimes

Released on May 14, 2025, the three-part Netflix documentary, Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story, examines the crimes of Fred and Rose West, who abducted, tortured, r*ped, and murdered at least twelve women and girls in Gloucester, England, between 1967 and 1987.

The documentary includes previously unseen police footage and unheard audio recordings, offering new perspectives on the investigation and the actions of the perpetrators.

The series focuses on highlighting the experiences of the victims and examining the systemic failures that allowed the Wests to evade capture for so long. It also includes disturbing audio tapes recorded by Fred West, in which he reveals the location of the bodies buried in his home.

The documentary aims not to sensationalize the crimes but to humanize the victims and show the lasting effects on their families.

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The trophy possession theory is not proven, but it does revive discussion about the nature of crime and its psychological dimensions. Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story is available for streaming on Netflix.