James Desborough, 40, a man obsessed with the television series Dexter, has been found guilty of murdering two homeless men in Cornwall before dismembering and hiding their bodies. He is already serving a life sentence for strangling his prison cellmate while on remand awaiting this trial.
The Murders
Desborough murdered Claudio Aquilino, 57, and Daniel Coleman, 43, last year. Both victims had previously lived with Desborough at a homeless hostel. Their dismembered remains were found in Sticker Woods, near St Austell, where Desborough lived in a wooden cabin. Police discovered 1,900 burned bone fragments from Mr Aquilino's body in a stream, and parts of Mr Coleman's body, including torso, legs and feet, in a shallow grave nearby.
Killer's Notes
Among notes found in his cabin, one said: 'I know I am a killer and ready to execute any predators'. Another read: 'Take care of the remaining muppets,' with Mr Coleman's name listed. Desborough also drew concentric circles entitled 'Kill Zone' with Sticker Woods at the centre.
Trial and Verdict
Desborough denied both murders, claiming the deaths were accidental and that he dismembered the bodies to cover up the incidents. He told a forensic biologist he 'particularly enjoyed the dismemberment scenes' in Dexter. A jury at Winchester Crown Court returned unanimous guilty verdicts after three hours and 15 minutes of deliberation. Desborough showed no emotion as the verdicts were read. He had previously pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful burial of the two men's bodies.
