He Stayed: The Killer Who Lived With His Victims' Bodies

He Stayed: The Killer Who Lived With His Victims' Bodies The most chilling detail in this case isn't the murders but the calm that followed: after killing the Smart family on New Year's Eve, the killer ate their food, slept on their sofa, fed their cat and drove a police officer in the dead man's stolen car while the bodies lay inside. How does someone move through a house with three cooling bodies and still keep coming back? In this episode, we tell the story of Peter Manuel from his upbringing to the crimes that unspooled across Lanarkshire and Glasgow, outlining the moments that confounded investigators and neighbors alike. Listen to how a man who sought to be seen created patterns of violence and return-what drove him to need witnesses to his own deeds? Person: Peter Manuel Date of birth: 1927 Location: Glasgow and Lanarkshire Case: murders of the Smart family; Watt family shooting; Anne Kneilands attack Status: acquitted in 1955 trial; suspect in later murders - Manuel returned to the Smart family home after the murders and stayed there for nearly a week. - He drove a police officer in the dead man's stolen car while the victims' bodies remained in the house. - Peter Manuel was born in New York in 1927 and moved to Glasgow in 1945 at age 18. - He was acquitted in 1955 after representing himself and cross-examining survivor Mary McLachlan. - Detectives held William Watt for 67 days before his alibi-his car covered in frost-helped clear him. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].