Why did James Hanratty kill Michael Gregston?

Answer 1

He didn't. The murder victim of August 23rd 1961 was called Michael Gregsten, a married man. His lover, Valerie Storie, was raped then shot and left for dead at Deadman's Hill near Bedford. Two suspects were found. The first, Peter Alphon, a strange loner with messianic beliefs, was released when Valerie failed to pick him out. The second, Jimmy Hanratty was identified by Valerie in controversial circumstances and subsequently hanged on April 4th 1962. No motive for Hanratty's alleged part in this crime was ever provided by the prosecution, whereas Alphon, who serially confessed then retracted his guilt for the murder, stated that he had been sent by Gregsten's family to break up his illicit affair with Storie. Jimmy's family - with the support of journalist Bob Woffenden and the Criminal Cases Review Commission, took an appeal back before three law lords in 2002. The appeal was lost on the basis of DNA evidence. This evidencewas far from conclusive and those of us who knew Alphon remain convinced of his guilt. Read Paul Foot's amazing 1971 book on the case - Who Killed Hanratty.