Rena Costello: How Did Fred West Kill His First Wife?

Netflix’s ‘Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story’ is a three-part true crime documentary series that delves deep into the gruesome murders committed by Fred and Rose West. One of Fred’s earliest victims was his first wife, Catherine “Rena” Costello, who was also a mother to two loving daughters. When her remains were found in 1994 in an open field, her family and friends’ worst nightmares turned into reality. The docuseries covers the detailed account of Rena’s case and several others through interviews with their loved ones.

Rena Costello Was Subjected to Violence From Fred West

Catherine Bernadette Costello was a native of Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Born on April 14, 1944, she was lovingly referred to as Rena. While not much is known about her familial background or childhood, we know that she was a warmhearted individual with a strong personality. When she was a few months over 18, Rena got pregnant. While her relationship with the father of the child didn’t last, her paths soon crossed with Frederick “Fred” West. She was around 3-4 months pregnant when she tied the knot with Fred on November 17, 1962, at the Ledbury Registry Office in Herefordshire, England. A few days later, the couple relocated to Scotland.

Rena was a free-spirited and resilient woman, owing to which many believed her to be “more than a match for Fred.” The pair was blessed with a baby girl, Charmaine, on May 22, 1963. In the same year, Rena got pregnant with Fred and her first child. They welcomed another daughter, Anne Marie, on July 6, 1964. Soon, the marriage between Fred and Rena became complicated due to many reasons, including the former’s extramarital affair with a Scottish teenager named Ann McFall and his frequent bouts of violent behavior towards Rena.

Amidst the marital tension, the couple also moved around frequently, residing in mobile homes in different caravan parks across Gloucestershire, England, including Timberland Caravan Park in Bishop’s Cleeve, Willows Caravan Site at Sandhurst, and later Lakehouse Caravan Site at Bishop’s Cleeve. Given the unstable family environment, Charmaine and Anne Marie were taken into custody by social services. After reportedly being subjected to violence and sexual abuse by Fred, Rena left him and her children in November 1969. Concerns were raised about her well-being and whereabouts when her family and friends also lost contact with her, a couple of years later, in 1971.

Rena Costello’s Remains Were Found Near the Remains of Fred Rose’s Another Victim

In June 1971, Fred’s second wife, Rose West, reportedly killed Rena’s 8-year-old daughter, Charmaine, while Fred was serving time in prison for theft charges. After he was released from jail in the same month, he buried Charmaine’s remains underneath the kitchen of their residence at 25 Midland Road in Gloucester, England. Unaware of her daughter’s demise and all the violence that she had gone through at the hands of Rose, 27-year-old Rena reportedly came back to get in touch with her daughter in the same year.

However, Fred confronted her and reportedly strangled her to death, before dismembering her and burying her at a field in Kempley, near Much Marcle, where he had also buried the remains of Ann McFall. More than two decades later, in 1994, Fred confessed to killing nine young women, including his first wife, Rena Costello. Following the confession, he led the authorities to the burial site where they discovered her remains. Eventually, he was charged with multiple counts of murder, but while awaiting trial, he took his own life in his jail cell in January 1995.