Trevor Dunkley, 66, has pleaded guilty to murdering Patricia Lashley, 33, at their shared home in Hall Street, Dudley, in September 1998. He confessed to police, telling an officer: "I killed her. I'm sorry."
Confession and Background
In a police interview, Dunkley detailed his relationship with Lashley in the months before her death. The pair met when Lashley was pregnant and living in the West Midlands town, before moving into Dunkley's flat in Hall Street.
On the day of the murder, Dunkley claimed he returned home after a night shift and attacked Lashley while she was in bed, beating her to death. He then took her child to social services, saying that the mother-of-seven had left him and abandoned the baby.
Disposal of the Body
Dunkley, aged 38 at the time, covered Lashley's body with bedding and moved it to the cellar, where it remained for about a year. He later disposed of her remains in household waste over several weeks, according to West Midlands Police. Because of this, it is unlikely her remains will ever be found.
Dunkley confessed nearly 30 years after the murder, believing police were "onto him." He appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to murder and preventing a lawful and decent burial. He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on November 6.
Police Statement
Detective Inspector Michelle Cordell, from the Homicide Unit, said: "This was a truly harrowing case in which a young mother was murdered inside the home she shared with her partner and her baby."
"Trevor Dunkley is the only living person who truly knows what happened that day. He has provided an account of events which, sadly, we cannot corroborate. What we do know, is that by his own admission, he subjected Patricia Lashley to a sustained and violent assault which led to her death."
"His actions afterwards are unspeakably cruel. It is difficult for anyone to comprehend how he could live for so long, knowing what he had done and within the same location he had deposited her body. His calculated and sophisticated plan to dispose of her remains in household waste took careful planning. Not only did he deprive Patricia a lawful or decent burial, he robbed her family of the opportunity to lay her to rest. For decades, they have had to live without answers and with the hope that one day she would return. There can be no justification for his actions."
West Midlands Police said its Family Liaison Officers have been supporting Patricia's relatives during this difficult time.
