Ian Huntley sent his daughter a haunting final letter from prison before he died.
The Soham killer, who murdered two 10-year-olds in 2002, died in hospital after being attacked in the workshop of a maximum security prison in Durham on 26 February.
Huntley's life-support was switched off on Friday after brain tests reportedly showed he was in a vegetative state.
“The murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman remains one of the most shocking and devastating cases in our nation’s history, and our thoughts are with their families,” a Ministry of Justice spokesperson said following the 52-year-old's death on Saturday.
Advert
Huntley's daughter, Samantha Bryan, is his only child, born to his former partner Katie Bryan, who was 15 at the time she became involved with him.
The 27-year-old said she he tried to stop her from uncovering the truth.
After learning of his existence as a teenager, she wanted to obtain more information about the horrific murders.
He rejected her with a letter: "Given the probable length of my future and your current motives I doubt there will be enough time for a significant shift in circumstances in order for us to ever meet."
It added: "You are still my daughter for whom I have much love. With Love, Ian", and wished her a good Christmas.
She told The Sun on Sunday: "He's shown he's a pitiful, twisted, manipulative coward. There's so many other things I could call him. I feel contempt. His letter has left me with even more questions than I had before.
"He might be ill but I don't know for sure given he's written about the probable length of his future. I don't know what that means. But surely if he is sick you'd want to give some answers - you'd have nothing left to lose.
"Or maybe he is referring to the length of his sentence."
Durham Constabulary said in a statement on Saturday: “A man who was attacked at HMP Frankland in Durham last week has died in hospital this morning.
“Ian Huntley, 52, was taken to hospital with serious injuries following an incident in the workshop on the morning of Thursday February 26.
“A police investigation into the circumstances of the incident is ongoing.
“A file is being prepared for the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration for charges.”
Huntley murdered Holly and Jessica after they left a family barbecue to buy sweets in Soham on 4 August 2002. He dumped their bodies in a ditch 10 miles away.
They were not found for 13 days, sparking a search involving hundreds of police officers.
Anish Vij