Category: Location: UK

Nicola Stevenson

Photo of a woman with pale skin, thin eyebrows, and a punk haircut that is dyed pink, shaved down on the left side, and straight and chin-length on the right.Name: Nicola Stevenson.
Died: November 13, 2019 (Body found, died approx. 2 weeks previously).
Age at death: 39.
Cause of death: Head trauma.
Location: Lewes, East Sussex, England, UK.
Disability: Russell-Silver syndrome, cancer survivor, mobility impaired.

Details:
Nicola’s partner, who was habitually abusive, hit her in the head with a hammer until she died of massive head injuries; then he stuffed her body into a trash bin, where it was found by a dog.

Nicola was recovering from cancer and had needed to re-learn walking; at the time of her death, she could walk short distances but still used a mobility scooter.

Case status:
Richard Canlin (Partner), convicted of murder, sentenced to 22 years to life.

Source:
Lewes landlady murder: Lodger Richard Canlin jailed
Man guilty of murdering Scots mum with hammer & dumping her body in wheelie bin
Arrests after body of Edinburgh woman found in wheelie bin in Sussex
Mum found dead in wheelie bin suffered horrific past abuse at the hands of ex
This is the wheelie bin a dog walker opened to find A WOMAN’S BODY stuffed inside

Kyrell Matthews

Photo of a toddler with his hair in small braids; he has light-brown skin and he is wearing a red and white sports jersey. His expression is thoughtful and somewhat puzzled.Name: Kyrell Matthews.
Died: October 20, 2019.
Age at death: 2.
Cause of death: Abdominal trauma, torn liver.
Location: Thornton Heath, London, England, UK.
Disability: Autism.

Details:
Kyrell was regularly beaten by his mother and her boyfriend. After a particularly severe beating, emergency services found him dying from internal injuries.

Kyrell’s grandmother remembers him as “the most loving little boy, always smiling”.

Case Status:
Kemar Brown (Mother’s partner), found guilty of murder, sentenced to 25 years.
Phylesia Shirley (Mother), found guilty of manslaughter, sentenced to 13 years.

Sources:
Mum and partner jailed for killing autistic toddler son
Kyrell Matthews: Man found guilty of murdering partner’s two-year-old son who died with 41 rib fractures
Kyrell Matthews: Man jailed for 25 years for murdering partner’s two-year-old son, who was treated ‘like a punchbag’
Mum’s partner jailed for 25 years for horrific killing of her autistic son

Janet Lewis

No PhotoName: Janet Lewis.
Died: September 1, 2019.
Age at death: 76.
Cause of death: Stabbing.
Location: Hullbridge, Essex, England, UK.
Disability: None; husband convinced she would have a stroke and need to go to a nursing home.

Details:
Janet’s husband was convinced that he was getting dementia and that Janet was going to have a stroke, and that he would need to put her in a nursing home and pay £800 a day for her care. He stabbed her to death and attempted to hang himself, but survived.

Janet’s husband does not have dementia; he was diagnosed with anxiety and “obsessive worrying”, declared competent to stand trial, and convicted of murder.

Case status:
Robert Lewis (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 16 years.

Source:
Hullbridge murder trial: Robert Lewis jailed for murder of wife Janet
Hullbridge murder trial: Robert Lewis guilty of murdering wife Janet
Janet Lewis death: Husband ‘had abnormal mental functioning’
Hullbridge: Robert Lewis murdered wife Janet after ‘obsession’ with dementia

Deborah Leitch

Photo of a young woman with Down syndrome; she has very fair skin and fine blonde hair, and her maroon glasses are slipping down her nose. She is smiling. Name: Deborah Leitch.
Died: August 29, 2019.
Age at death: 24.
Cause of death: Starvation.
Location: South Shore, Blackpool, England, UK.
Disability: Down syndrome.

Details:
Deborah’s mother let her die from “severe emaciation and neglect;” Deborah was found starved in her home, with a severe and untreated scabies infection.

She was described by her family as a cheerful girl who was “always smiling.” She loved horses, had a boyfriend, and had attended college and a day-care program.

Case Status:
Elaine Clarke (Mother), pleaded guilty to gross negligence manslaughter, sentenced to 6 to 9 years 7 months.
Robert Bruce (Household member), charged with allowing or causing the death of a vulnerable adult; charges dropped.

Source:
SAR Learning Brief – Jessica “Jessica” is Deborah’s pseudonym.
Mother’s manipulation of social services left vulnerable woman to die of malnutrition in filthy bed
Mum who starved daughter to death will not have sentence increased
Mum who starved disabled daughter to death could see jail sentence increased
My monster ex starved our daughter to death – she’ll be out in just 6 years
Mum who allowed disabled daughter to die in squalor jailed
Mum abandoned daughter who starved to death in infested room
Evil mum starved disabled daughter to death in ‘maggot and faeces’ covered room
My ex starved our daughter to death while taking £215 a week in benefits
Mum left her disabled daughter to starve to death in ‘faeces-laden’ and ‘maggot-infested’ bedroom
My ex-wife starved our disabled daughter to death – I found out on Facebook
Pair appear in court accused of causing the death of ‘vulnerable’ disabled woman in South Shore
Blackpool woman’s death: Pair charged with manslaughter
Two charged with manslaughter over death of emaciated and neglected 24-year-old
Pair face charges over death of woman with Down’s syndrome by neglect
Two face charges after disabled girl was found dead with ‘severe emaciation’

Brenda Venables

Old-fashioned photo of a woman with brown curly hair and fair skin, wearing a blue jacket, smiling for the camera. There are pink flowers in the foreground.Name: Brenda Venables.
Died: July 12, 2019 (Body found; died May 3 or 4, 1982).
Age at death: 48.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Kempsey, England, UK.
Disability: Depression.

Details:
Brenda’s body was found hidden in a septic tank, where her husband had hidden it decades earlier. Her husband was convicted of her murder.

Relatives remember her as kind, hospitable, and friendly.

Case Status:
David Venables (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to life with a minimum of 18 years.

Sources:
Farmer convicted of wife’s murder 40 years after hiding her body in septic tank
Retired pig farmer David Venables jailed for murdering his wife in 1982 and hiding body in septic tank

Desmond Wooding

Photo of a fair-skinned elderly man with a tweed cap and wool jacket, photographed outside.Name: Desmond Wooding.
Died: June 24, 2019.
Age at death: 80.
Cause of death: Stabbed.
Location: Droitwich, Worcestershire, England, UK.
Disability: Mobility impaired.

Details:
Desmond’s grand-nephew stabbed him to death with a knife.

He was a sociable man who often stopped to chat with neighbors when he rode his red mobility scooter around town.

Case status:
Adam Mason (grand-nephew), convicted of murder, sentenced to 20 years to life.
Mark Mason (Adam’s uncle), convicted of assisting an offender, sentenced to 2 years.

Source:
Man jailed for murdering great uncle aged 80 in Droitwich
Murder suspect, 32, is arrested over killing of disabled pensioner, 80
‘Well known’ pensioner, 80, was stabbed to death in his own home
Man, 80, ‘last seen on mobility scooter’ found stabbed to death in own home
Disabled pensioner, 80, is stabbed to death in his own home as cops launch murder probe
Man ‘stabbed disabled great-uncle, 80, to death and left him in pool of blood’
Man jailed for brutal murder of 80-year-old great-uncle

Steven May

Blurry photo of a young man with tanned skin and dark brown hair.Name: Steven May.
Died: May 20, 2019.
Age at death: 50.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma, broken ribs.
Location: Deepdale, Preston, England, UK.
Disability: Epilepsy, COPD, alcoholism.

Details:
Steven lived with a lodger, whom he told his family was there for company and prepared some meals for him. The lodger abused him, and eventually beat him to death.

Case status:
Darren Taylor (Lodger), convicted of murder, sentenced to 20 years to life.

Source:
Lodger jailed for life for murder of his vulnerable friend Steven May in Deepdale
Preston man Darren Taylor found guilty of murdering vulnerable Steven May
MURDER INVESTIGATION: Neighbours are ‘shocked and saddened’ over death of 50-year-old man
Preston dad Steven May had suffered 76 rib fractures in the weeks before he died, murder trial told

Mavis Long

Photo of a middle-aged woman with brown eyes, red cheeks and short curly brown hair.Name: Mavis Long.
Died: May 10, 2019.
Age at death: 77.
Cause of death: Asphyxia.
Location: Pennant, Ceredigion, Wales, UK.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
Mavis lived with her husband. After an argument, her husband grabbed and strangled her to death.

Case status:
Frank Long (Husband), convicted of manslaughter, sentenced to 3 years, 4 months, to be served in care.

Source:
Husband Charged And Sentenced For Killing His Alzheimer’s Suffering Wife
Man, 80, jailed for strangling wife after row
Husband in court on wife murder charge
Husband jailed for more than three years for manslaughter of his wife

Lauren Griffiths

Photo of a young woman wearing a beanie, a stud in her nose, and large round-rimmed glasses. Her skin is fair and her hair is dark-blonde; she is smiling for the camera.Name: Lauren Griffiths.
Died: April 29, 2019.
Age at death: 21.
Cause of death: Strangled.
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK.
Disability: Dissociative disorder.

Details:
Lauren was strangled to death by her fiance. He had attempted to strangle her once before, but she escaped and went to find help. When she returned to her fiance, he eventually killed her.

Friends remember her as sweet, friendly, and strongly altruistic.

Case Status:
Madog Rowlands (Fiance), convicted of murder, sentenced to 18 years to life.

Source:
Man jailed for life after murdering fiancee and wrapping body in clingfilm
Fun-loving murder victim had been strangled before by her killer fiance
Judge’s words for Wrexham man who strangled fiancee to death

Paula Meadows

Black and white photo of a woman with chin-length hair and fair skin, wearing a striped scarf; she is smiling for the camera.Name: Paula Meadows.
Died: April 2, 2019.
Age at death: 83.
Cause of death: Unspecified homicide.
Location: Bucklebury, Berkshire, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Paula’s husband killed her in a murder-suicide.

She had three children.

Case status:
Tony Meadows (Husband), deceased.

Source:
Retired Concorde pilot found dead alongside wife in suspected murder-suicide in Kate Middleton’s home village
Pilot who flew Princess Diana and the Queen found dead alongside wife in suspected murder-suicide
Couple found dead in Kate Middleton’s home village
Pair found dead believed to be Concorde pilot and wife, as police probe ‘murder’
Queen’s Concorde pilot and wife found dead in home in Kate Middleton’s village
Queen’s former pilot found dead in suspected murder-suicide
Former Concorde captain and wife found dead in Duchess of Cambridge’s home village