Category: Location: UK

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

Janette Dunbavand

Black and white photo of Janette Dunbavand as a younger woman. She has short curly dark hair and pale skin; she is wearing a white robe and a mayor's chain of office.Name: Janette Dunbavand.
Died: March 22, 2019.
Age at death: 81.
Cause of death: Gunshot.
Location: Northchurch, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Janette was shot by her husband in a murder-suicide.

Janette lived in the same house for her whole life. She served as town mayor from 1994-1995 and had two children.

Case status:
John Dunbavand (Husband), deceased.

Source:
The tragic letter dad wrote to children before he killed himself and his wife
Man who shot wife ‘could not bear her suffering’
Husband left heartbreaking note before shooting his wife
Former councillor, 81, may have shot his wife and then himself
Burglars break into home of dead couple just days after ‘murder suicide’

Julie Burdett

No PhotoName: Julie Burdett.
Died: January 15, 2019.
Age at death: 61.
Cause of death: Pressure ulcers, malnutrition.
Location: Leicester, England, UK.
Disability: “A disease similar to multiple sclerosis”; wheelchair user.

Details:
Julie died from extreme pressure sores. Allegedly, she was not moved or fed properly, and before she died, was left alone in her bedroom for two weeks.

Case Status:
Philip Burdett (Brother), convicted of gross negligence manslaughter, sentenced to 3 years.
Ralph Burdett (Father), convicted of allowing death, sentenced to 2 years, suspended for 2 years.

Sources:
‘Extreme hoarder’ Philip Burdett jailed for gross negligence manslaughter after death of vulnerable sister
Brother of vulnerable woman jailed for gross negligence manslaughter
Julie Burdett: Woman left to die ‘surrounded by filth’ after her father and brother failed to care for her, court told
Immobile woman ‘left to die alone in agony by extreme hoarder father’

Sheila Small

No Photo
Name: Sheila Small.
Died: December 18, 2018.
Age at death: 73.
Cause of death: Blunt trauma.
Location: West Bowling, Bradford, Yorkshire, England, UK.
Disability: Dementia.

Details:
Sheila was bludgeoned to death by her husband, who hit her with a rolling pin, a bottle, and a walking stick before she died from her injuries. At autopsy, she was found to have partly-healed fractures, indicating chronic physical abuse.

Case status:
Edward Small (Husband), convicted of murder, sentenced to 14 years to life in prison.

Source:
Man jailed for killing wife with rolling pin
Edward Small, of Raymond Drive, on trial accused of murdering his wife
Great-grandad beat dementia-suffering wife to death with rolling pin
Great-grandfather, 76, jailed for life for beating wife of 50 years to death with rolling pin

June Knight

No PhotoName: June Knight.
Died: December 10, 2018.
Age at death: 79.
Cause of death: Head injury from fall.
Location: Westcliff, England, UK.
Disability: Alzheimer’s disease.

Details:
June’s son went to the care home where she lived, picked her up, and threw her off her third-story balcony. She died from massive brain injuries.

Case status:
Robert Knight (Son), charged with murder, pleaded guilty to manslaughter, sentenced to 2 years, suspended for 2 years.

Source:
Son who threw his terminally ill 79-year-old mother to her death spared jail
Suspended term for son who threw mum off balcony
Son ‘threw mum, 79, over balcony to her death after carrying her from care home
Son carried mum to balcony, put her on railing and pushed her to her death
No verdict in balcony fall murder trial
Care home woman died from head injury
Photos show forensics outside care home after woman ‘murdered’
Man, 52, appears in court accused of killing his mum, 79, at care home
Son appears in court on mum murder charge after 79-year-old ‘falls from care home balcony’
Man in court over relative’s death
Son denies mother’s balcony fall murder