‘Suffolk Strangler’ Steve Wright arrested over 1999 murder of teenager Victoria Hall

Serial killer Steve Wright is understood to have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a 17-year-old girl who went missing 24 years ago.

Victoria Hall was on her way home from a nightclub when she vanished in September 1999. Her naked body was found in a ditch five days later.

Wright, 65, known as the “Suffolk Strangler”, is serving a whole life sentence for the murders of five women. They were killed over a 10-day period in December 2006 and their bodies dumped in Ipswich.

Suffolk Police reopened their investigation into Miss Hall’s killing in 2019 after receiving fresh witness information – which they have never expanded upon.

A man – who the force did not name at the time – was initially arrested in July 2021 in connection with the teenager’s murder then subsequently released from police custody under investigation.

He had not previously been arrested as part of the inquiry.

Suffolk Police has now said the same man was re-arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of murder and taken into police custody for questioning.

The force said he was again released under investigation pending further inquiries.

Sky News understands that man is Wright, who remains in prison.

Suffolk Police has said the force is not commenting on the man’s identity.

Read more UK news:
Teen arrested after woman shot dead
Prince Harry libel claim against publisher to go to trial

Wright was convicted of murdering Gemma Adams, Tania Nicol, Anneli Alderton, Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls.

Miss Hall, from Trimley St Mary in Suffolk, went out on the evening of 18 September 1999 with a friend to the Bandbox nightclub in Felixstowe.

The girls left the club at around 1am and parted ways at around 2.20am, yards from Miss Hall’s home.

That was the last time she was seen alive.

The force launched a missing person inquiry after Miss Hall’s parents woke up that morning and discovered she had not returned home and called the police.

Her body was found on 24 September 1999 by a dog walker in the village of Creeting St Peter, around 25 miles from where she was last seen.

Her clothing or possessions have never been found.

Suffolk Police continue to ask for anyone with information about Miss Hall’s death to contact them.