A man has pleaded guilty to murdering his estranged wife, a businesswoman, and burying her body in a garden in Cardiff.
A Brutal Crime and Discovery
Paria Veisi, 37, was reported missing on April 13 last year after her £40,000 black Mercedes was discovered abandoned. The company director, originally from Iran, had last been seen alive leaving work on April 12.
Her body was found four days after she vanished, in the backyard of a property on Penylan Road, Cardiff, belonging to her 42-year-old husband, Alireza Askari. A post-mortem examination revealed Ms Veisi had suffered multiple stab wounds to her upper chest and neck.
Court Proceedings and Guilty Pleas
Askari initially denied murder but changed his plea to guilty at Cardiff Crown Court. He also admitted preventing the lawful and decent burial of a body. A further charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm was ordered to lie on file.
Responding to the plea, Mrs Justice Stacey told Askari: 'Well done for pleading guilty Mr Askari, better late than never. It will be reflected to some extent in the sentencing exercise.' He is due to be sentenced on February 13 at Swansea Crown Court.
His aunt, 48-year-old Maryam Delavary from White City in London, had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice in connection with Ms Veisi's death.
A Community in Mourning
Following her death, around 100 mourners gathered at a Norwegian church in Cardiff Bay to remember Paria Veisi. A close friend, Sara Rezaei, paid tribute, describing her as a kind, caring, and vibrant soul.
'Paria wasn't just someone in the headlines,' Ms Rezaei said. 'She was caring, selfless and always ready to help. We are devastated, heartbroken, and still in shock.'
An earlier inquest heard that South Wales Police had been first alerted to Ms Veisi's disappearance on April 13. Coroner Patricia Morgan noted at the time that she had reason to suspect the death might be violent in nature, prompting the murder investigation.
