'I've reported on over 1,000 murders but one surprising message changed my life'

EXCLUSIVE: 'I've reported on over 1,000 murders but one surprising message changed my life'Jeff Edwards was Chief Crime Correspondent on the Daily Mirror, covering robbery, narcotics, burglary, sex crimes, people trafficking, kidnap and extortion and moreCommentsNewsJeff Edwards and Hannah Britt, Senior Reporter Mirror Features15:00, 18 Apr 2026View 7 ImagesJeff Edwards was Chief Crime Correspondent on the Daily Mirror and has written new book The Murder Guy(Image: Daily Mirror)It was my first day as the Chief Crime Correspondent on the Daily Mirror and I was keen to make an impact on my new bosses. It was a job I’d always wanted. I’d been the ‘crime man’ on several national papers already in my career. But I had always admired the Mirror’s brand of hard hitting and campaigning journalism and when the chance came to join them in early 1993, I jumped at it.‌Like any reporter starting a new job, I wanted to get off to a flying start. But this first Monday in late February in the news room had been quiet on my front. About 6.30 pm, I was thinking about heading off to meet some police contacts in a pub near Scotland Yard, when my pager, which was clipped to my trouser belt, began to vibrate.‌For anybody under about 50, it is important to understand there once was a world without mobile phones. I wasn’t issued my first one by the Mirror until later in 1993. But most people back then had a pager and I will never forget the message which appeared that evening, because in some ways, it changed my life. It read: ”If you want to learn something to your advantage, call me urgently.” It was from a police detective who I’d known for many years.‌READ MORE: Mum-of-five goes on surprise date night before the unthinkable happensI called him and he said: “I have just been with some colleagues from the Homicide Squad to a house in north west London. In the garage we found the bodies of two men stuffed into cardboard boxes. They’ve both been shot in the head several time...