74116adb49c44721911d18b5ec246b0dHEAD

Archibald Hall
with Michael Kitto

Serial Killer Archibald Hall
AKAThe Monster Butler
Roy Fontaine
DOB17 jun 1924
(Gemini)
OccupationButler
Kill Total5
Kill PlaceEngland & Scotland
Kill Date1970's
M.O.Shooting / Beating
VictimDavid Wright
Walter Scott-Elliot
Mary Coggle
Donald Hall


Born in Glasgow in 1924 Archibald Hall, spent many years in and out of prison as a thief, house burglar and petty forger.

While in prison on a ten year sentence for theft, he decided to change his style. He studied speech, clearing his Scottish accent, he also researched etiquette and antiques. A butler who became very good at his job, a fan of actress Joan Fontaine, he changed his name to Roy Fontaine, and returned to his native Scotland.

1975, He got a job as a butler in  Dumfriesshire, he planned to steal from the wealthy estate but found he liked his job as well as liking his employer.

1977, David Wright, was an ex friend from prison. The two had met in Hull prison when Fontaine was serving time for theft. Wright was impressed by Fontaine, but also saw potential in Fontaine's past. He started to gather information and when they met up after prison, Wright threatened to expose jewel thief Fontaine to his wealthy female employer Lady Hudson. The two argued and Fontaine shot Wright in the back of the head with a rifle., her buried him next to a river.

Hall moved back to London, the plausible butler got a position with wealthy ex-MP  Walter Scott-Elliot and his wife who were wealthy antique collectors.
He planned to rob the wealthy couple and retire.

By this time he had two accomplices to his thieving ways, Michael Kitto and Mary Coggle. One evening while Hall and Kitto were planning the robbery Mrs Scott-Elliot walked in on them, Kitto grabbed a pillow and suffocated the old lady.
In a panic the two men, now helped by local prostitute Mary Coggle, drugged Walter Scott-Elliot, and put the two bodies in a car and drove to Scotland. They buried Mrs Scott-Elliot in Perthshire, then drove to Inverness where they strangled the drugged old man, beat him with a shovel and buried him in woods near  Tomich, Invernesshire.

25th December 1977, Coggle enjoyed wearing Mrs. Scott-Elliot's clothes, this annoyed Hall and Kitto who felt she was drawing too much attention to them, they hit her with a crowbar, and left her body in a barn in Middlebie, Dumfriesshire. A farmer discovered her body in the barn on Christmas morning.

The pair left Scotland and headed for a holiday home in Cumbria, once they the discovered Hall's half brother, who had recently been released from prison, he was a paedophile, Hall hated him, they tied him up and drowned him in a bath.

They put the body in the boot of the car and headed for Scotland for a burial. The weather was vey bad and they had to stop at a hotel overnight. They were acting suspiciously, the hotel manager called the police, who searched the car, discovering the body of Donald Hall. Kitto was arrested, but Archibald Hall escaped, but was caught later that day at a roadblock.

When Hall was captured, he tried to commit suicide twice using secret stashes of barbiturate tablets that he had hidden up his rectum.

After stealing from the Scott-Elliot house, they had sold gold and jewellery around the country, it did not take police long to search the Scott-Elliot house and link the murders back to Hall and Kitto, They had by now found the body of Mary Coggle, who also had worked for the Scott-Elliot's.

Once in custody Hall confessed and confirmed where all the bodies were buried.
Hall and Kitto were charged with five murders.

May 1978, Hearings at The Old Bailey in London, and The Edinburgh high court found Hall and accomplice Kitto guilty, both were sentenced to life imprisonment, Hall having made a full confession to 5 murders.
Hall is on the list of prisoners to serve a 'Whole Life Tariff', see list here >>

1999, Hall published his autobiography " A Perfect Gentleman", Here >>

16th September 2002, Hall died of a stroke  while serving time at Kingston prison in Portsmouth, he was 78 years old. 

Recommended Books

     HERE >>
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