With both Clive and Elsie now busy working, McGreavy acted as babysitter for the Ralph children. At that time, McGreavy's family and neighbours as well as the Ralphs knew him as a person who loved children, including the Ralph children. According to Elsie, he would frequently play with her children and acted "like a father" to them, going so far as to chastise her over her discipline of Paul. On Friday, 13 April 1973, Elsie Ralph was picked up from work by Clive, who had left home late, with the children all asleep. Clive would usually pick her up late in order to help her with closing, and to have a last pint. When the Ralphs arrived at their home, the police were already there and escorted them to the police station, where they were told of their children's murder. McGreavy, who was known to be a habitual drinker with a violent temper when inebriated, had gone to the Buck's Hill pub earlier that evening with a friend, where he drank of beer. The two men had played cards and darts, though a small altercation took place prior to leaving the pub, after McGreavy had put a cigarette out in his friend's beer. Clive had picked McGreavy up from the Buck's Hill and brought him home to look after the children while Clive went to get Elsie from work. Some time between 10:15 and 11:15pm, a drunk McGreavy became infuriated with the Ralph children, beginning with the baby, Samantha, who had been crying for her bottle. McGreavy violently killed Samantha and then the other two children, each in a different manner. Eight-month-old Samantha died from a skull fracture, 2-year-old Dawn had her throat slit and 4-year-old Paul was strangled. After killing the three children, McGreavy went down to the basement and retrieved a pickaxe. He further mutilated their bodies with the pickaxe before impaling the three bodies on the spikes of a wrought iron fence in a neighbour's yard. He then left the home. McGreavy was arrested by police at 3:50am, walking on a street near the Ralphs' home. Upon his arrest, McGreavy reportedly said, "What's this all about?" At first, McGreavy denied any responsibility, but, several hours later said, "It was me, but, it wasn’t me," after which he described in graphic detail what he had done.