Ian Huntley, the man convicted of the 2002 murders of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman, has reportedly had his life support switched off after being seriously attacked in prison. The 52-year-old suffered severe head injuries during an incident with another inmate at HMP Frankland and was placed on a ventilator in critical condition. After medical tests showed he was in a vegetative state, doctors made the decision to turn off the life-support machine following discussions with his mother, who had traveled to be at his bedside.

Huntley had been serving a minimum 40-year sentence for the murders that shocked the United Kingdom. Over the years he had been the target of several assaults by other inmates due to the nature of his crimes. Authorities have been investigating the recent prison attack, which reportedly involved another prisoner and left Huntley with life-threatening injuries that he ultimately did not recover from.