Colin Howell’s Double Life Exposed In Shocking Murder Case

It’s a story that still sends shockwaves through Northern Ireland and beyond: the chilling double murder committed by Colin Howell, a man once regarded as a devout family man and respected dentist. Decades after the crime, the reverberations of Howell’s actions continue to haunt the families of his victims, while the public’s fascination with the case remains undiminished—spurred on by documentaries and dramatizations such as ITV’s Killer in the House and The Secret.

For Jonathan Clarke, the son of Colin Howell, the revelation of his father’s true nature was nothing short of devastating. According to ITV, Jonathan was in his final year of school when he was pulled from class by a member of his church—a break from his usual routine that immediately signaled something was terribly wrong. The news that followed would change his life forever: his father had not only murdered Jonathan’s mother, Lesley Howell, but had also killed another man, Trevor Buchanan. “It felt like I was living in a nightmare,” Jonathan recalled, describing the overwhelming sense of confusion and betrayal that followed. The man he’d known as stern yet loving had been hiding a monstrous secret for years.

Colin Howell’s crimes date back to 1991, when Lesley Howell and Trevor Buchanan—both members of the same Baptist church community in Coleraine, Northern Ireland—were found dead together in a fume-filled garage. At the time, their deaths were believed to be the result of a suicide pact, allegedly prompted by the discovery of an affair between their respective spouses: Colin Howell and Hazel Stewart. For nearly two decades, the truth remained buried, with the community accepting the tragic narrative of mutual despair.

But in 2009, the carefully constructed facade unraveled. As detailed in ITV’s Killer in the House, Howell confessed to church elders that he had murdered his wife and Buchanan, staging the scene to look like a suicide. It was members of his church who persuaded him to turn himself in to the police, ending almost twenty years of secrecy. The confession sent shockwaves through the community and the families involved, upending lives that had already been marked by loss and confusion.

Chris Clarke, the brother of Lesley Howell, spoke out for the first time in the same documentary. His words were raw and unfiltered, reflecting the depth of his pain and anger. “I despise him,” Chris said of Colin Howell. He went further, admitting, “I wish him harm.” The wounds left by Howell’s actions were not just personal—they ripped through entire families, leaving scars that time has yet to heal.

The legal consequences for Colin Howell were severe. In November 2010, he pleaded guilty to the murders of Lesley Howell and Trevor Buchanan. The court sentenced him to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 21 years before he would be eligible for parole. That wasn’t the end of Howell’s criminal record: just over a year later, he also pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting several female patients while working as a dentist in Ballymoney. For these indecent assaults, he received an additional five-and-a-half-year sentence, to be served concurrently with his life term, and was stripped of his NHS pension. As reported by Cosmopolitan, Howell remains incarcerated at HMP Maghaberry in Northern Ireland and will not be eligible for parole until at least 2031.

The emotional fallout from Howell’s crimes has been profound. Jonathan Clarke’s journey since the revelation has been marked by a struggle to reconcile the loving father he once knew with the reality of a double murderer. The shock and disorientation he described are echoed by others affected by the case. “It felt like I was living in a nightmare,” Jonathan said, a sentiment that captures the surreal horror experienced by those closest to the victims.

Lauren Bradford-Clarke, Howell’s daughter with Lesley Howell, has also had to navigate the complex legacy left by her father’s actions. According to the BBC, Lauren revealed that after her mother’s murder, Hazel Stewart—her father’s lover and co-conspirator—remained a significant presence in her life for five years. “Following my mummy’s murder, there were five years where Hazel Stewart was very much part of my life, and I very much remember her and remember the time that we had with her,” Lauren shared. “It’s very sad in a lot of ways, I saw her as a mummy. I had lost my mum, and I wanted nothing more than to have a mum.” Her words highlight the confusion and longing that can arise when the boundaries between victim and perpetrator become so deeply entangled.

The case has continued to capture public attention, not only for its shocking details but also for the way it exposes the hidden darkness that can lurk behind a facade of normalcy. The ITV documentary Killer in the House delves into the psychological and emotional impact of the murders, giving voice to those whose lives were forever altered. The earlier dramatization, The Secret, brought the story to a wider audience, emphasizing just how gripping—and disturbing—the case remains.

For the victims’ families, the pain is ongoing. Chris Clarke’s open condemnation of Howell underscores the lasting anger and sense of injustice. Meanwhile, Jonathan and Lauren Clarke continue to grapple with the legacy of a father who was both a central figure in their childhood and the architect of their deepest trauma. The sense of betrayal and confusion is palpable, a reminder that the consequences of such crimes extend far beyond the courtroom.

As of January 2026, Colin Howell remains behind bars, serving a sentence that reflects the gravity of his crimes. The earliest he could be considered for release is 2031, but for many affected by his actions, no sentence could ever truly atone for the loss and suffering he caused. The story of the Howell murders is not just a tale of crime and punishment; it is a stark illustration of how the darkest secrets can lie hidden in plain sight, and how the search for understanding and healing can stretch on for decades.

The Howell case endures as a chilling reminder of the fragility of trust and the devastating impact of betrayal. For the families left behind, the journey toward closure continues—one marked by sorrow, resilience, and the unrelenting pursuit of truth.