Winnie Johnson, the mother of the last missing Moors Murders victim Keith Bennett, dies without knowing where her son is buried.

Ms Johnson, 78, had been suffering from cancer and died peacefully at a hospice on Saturday morning.

Her 12-year-son’s killer, Ian Brady, has always refused to disclose the location of Keith’s body, thought to be on Saddleworth Moor above Manchester.

Keith was taken by Brady and Myra Hindley on 16 June 1964, after he left home to visit his grandmother.

His mother’s death comes just days after it emerged that Brady may have revealed where the body was buried in a letter. But Ms Johnson’s lawyer said she died unaware of the document’s possible existence.

Letter claim

Police launched an investigation after Brady’s mental health advocate Jackie Powell told a Channel 4 Cutting Edge documentary he gave her a sealed envelope to pass to Ms Johnson in the event of his death.

The TV production team passed on the information to Greater Manchester Police on July 30 and Ms Powell, 49, was detained this week on suspicion of preventing the burial of a body without lawful exercise.

Police sources said Ms Powell claims she returned the envelope to Brady at some point between July 30 and her arrest.

Detectives examining a large number of documents seized from Ms Powell’s home in south Wales have so far found no letter or any evidence to suggest Brady has disclosed the location of Keith’s body.

A search of Brady’s cell at Ashworth Hospital in Merseyside has also failed to uncover the alleged letter and Ms Powell has now been released on bail pending further inquiries.

‘Truly heartbreaking’

Ms Johnson’s solicitor John Ainley said: “Winnie has insisted Brady is the only person who could put her mind to rest and give her the chance to give Keith a decent burial before she passed away. She was convinced Brady knew where her son was buried and she told me she wanted the search to continue to find Keith.

“Despite her personal appeals directly to Brady and via my office, Brady had persistently ignored the wishes of a grieving mother.

It is a truly heartbreaking situation that this opportunity has now been irrevocably lost. John Ainley

“She has died without knowing Keith’s whereabouts and without the opportunity to finally put him at rest in a decent grave. It is a truly heartbreaking situation that this opportunity has now been irrevocably lost.

“Winnie’s health deteriorated in the last few days. She died not knowing of the letter’s possible existence but the steadfast conviction Ian Brady can resolve the situation.”

Notorious crimes

Brady and his partner Myra Hindley, who died in jail in 2002 aged 60, were responsible killed five youngsters aged between 12 and 17 in the 1960s.

Their victims were sexually tortured before being buried on Saddleworth Moor.

Brady was jailed for life in 1966 for the murders of John Kilbride, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans. Hindley was convicted of killing Lesley Ann and Edward and shielding Brady after John’s murder, and also jailed for life.

In 1987 the pair finally admitted killing Keith and Pauline Reade. Both were taken back to Saddleworth Moor to help police find the remains of the missing victims but only Pauline’s body was found.

Brady, now 74, has always refused to disclose the location of Keith’s body, despite repeated appeals by the boy’s mother.

Family statement

In an online statement posted on the website www.searchingforkeith.com this morning, Ms Johnson’s family described her as “a much loved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother”.

The statement went on: “Winnie fought tirelessly for decades to find Keith and give him a Christian burial. Although this was not possible during her lifetime, we, her family, intend to continue this fight now for her and for Keith. We hope that the authorities and the public will support us in this.

“We would like to express our deep gratitude to all the medical staff who cared for Winnie during her illness, and also the public for their good wishes and support over the years.”

Speaking before Ms Johnson died, Martin Bottomley, head of investigative review at Greater Manchester Police’s major and cold case crime unit, said: “I want to be explicitly clear about this: Ian Brady has not revealed to police the location of Keith’s body.

We do not know if this is true or simply a ruse. Martin Bottomley

“What we are looking at is the possibility, and at this stage it is only a possibility, that he has written a letter to Keith’s mum, Winnie Johnson, which was not to be opened until after his death.

“We do not know if this is true or simply a ruse but we clearly have a duty to investigate such information on behalf of Keith’s family.”

Earlier this week, Cutting Edge editor Emma Cooper said: “No-one can verify the contents of the envelope and therefore what information it does or does not contain but, given the enormity of the implications as suggested by Brady’s letter, we felt we had a responsibility to inform the family via their family liaison officer.

“Winnie’s poor health was foremost in our decision-making and this is why we have decided to bring forward the broadcast of the film and make the existence of the envelope public.”