Kanika Kumar
The HBO miniseries ‘Landscapers’ dives deep into the unsettling events pertaining to the murder of Patricia and William Wycherley. By carefully peeling back the layers of the thoughts and motives of Susan and Christopher Edwards, the show examines the complexities of a heinous crime and its cover-up. Created by Ed Sinclair, the true-crime show brings forth interesting perspectives about morality, trauma, and justice.
True to its format, the series is chock-full of detailed information about the soft-spoken Edwards and the reserved Wycherleys. Understandably, many of you must be curious about the particulars of this case, such as how long the Edwards were on the run and where they were when they went into hiding. We’ve got the answers you need. SPOILERS AHEAD.
How Long Were Susan and Christopher Edwards on the Run?
Susan and Christopher Edwards were residing in their Dagenham home in East London even after the murder of Patricia and William Wycherley in 1998. After burying the bodies of Susan’s parents in the garden of their home in Forest Town, Mansfield, the Edwardses continued to visit the Wycherleys’ residence in order to maintain the lawn, gutters, and the house itself.
It is apparent that these visits to Mansfield from Dagenham were primarily to make sure that the bodies lay undiscovered. Additionally, the Edwardses would also periodically convince the neighbors that the Wycherleys had moved, to either Blackpool or Morecambe (depending on who you asked), and were alive and healthy. In 2005, the couple sold the Mansfield house as they needed money in order to settle their massive debts brought about by their expensive hobby of collecting Hollywood memorabilia.
In 2012, the Department for Work and Pensions as well as officials from Buckingham Palace tried to contact William to meet him on his 100th birthday and ensure that he received his updated old-age benefits. This understandably made the Edwardses panic, as they became worried that the authorities would find out about their crimes and the murder of the Wycherleys. Thus, the couple decided to leave England and go into hiding, as far as possible from the long arm of the law. They did not return to their home country for a year. All in all, their crime went undiscovered for 15 years.
Where Did Susan and Christopher Edwards Go?
Susan and Christopher left England and fled to France to avoid getting into legal trouble in 2012, as mentioned above. In particular, they chose Lille, a university city in the northern part of the country, as their hideout spot. The couple stayed in France for a year; however, they had a hard time as Christopher could not get employment since he was not fluent in French. Unable to access their stolen funds from abroad, the couple began living in squalor.
In a desperate bid to receive financial help, Christopher reached out to his stepmother to ask for monetary aid. At this point, nobody was aware of the Edwards’ whereabouts. Christopher ended up telling Elizabeth about the murders of the Wycherleys, citing the same story Susan later confessed to in court, which made it seem like Patricia shot William and then provoked her daughter into shooting her. Almost immediately, the elderly Elizabeth reached out to the police with the information she had just received.
Meanwhile, the Edwardses decided to return to England and face the authorities themselves, determined to tell their version of the truth and defend their innocence. Christopher communicated with the police through polite emails, informing them of their planned return. The Edwardses finally left France and went back to England in October 2013; they were arrested for suspicion of murder at the Saint Pancras International railway station as soon as they arrived. Later, the court came to the conclusion that it was Christopher who had shot Susan’s parents, with her full knowledge, and that money had been the motive behind the crime. The couple was convicted of murder in 2014.
Read More: Why Did Susan and Christopher Edwards Kill Patricia and William Wycherley?
