In a case that has sent shivers through the community, the harrowing final audio messages of a killer who stabbed his wife to death have been laid bare for the first time.
Ian Howard, 54, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 18 years at Nottingham Crown Court after pleading guilty to the murder of his wife, Elizabeth 'Liz' Howard, in their Nottingham home.
The court heard how Howard left a series of devastating voice notes for a friend moments before the brutal attack. In the recordings, a panicked Howard can be heard saying, "I've done something stupid... I think I've killed Liz."
Prosecutor Mary Prior KC detailed the "frenzied and extremely violent" assault that led to 52-year-old Liz's death, revealing she suffered multiple stab wounds.
A Timeline of Terror
The horrifying incident unfolded on the evening of October 9th last year:
- Howard sent the first chilling voice note to his friend at 7:21 PM, stating he had "done something stupid."
- Minutes later, a second message followed: "I think I've killed Liz."
- Armed police were swiftly dispatched to the couple's home after the friend raised the alarm.
- Officers discovered Liz's body inside the property with catastrophic injuries.
Howard was arrested at the scene, later telling officers during his interview, "I've had a bit of a meltdown."
A Life Taken, A Family Shattered
The victim, described by her heartbroken family as a "devoted mother, daughter, and sister," was tragically taken in an act of unimaginable violence.
In a moving statement, Liz's family expressed their profound grief: "The pain and loss we feel is indescribable... Our family has been torn apart by Ian's actions that day. We are utterly devastated."
Detective Chief Inspector Clare Dean of Nottinghamshire Police emphasised the tragedy of the case, stating it was a "devastating example of the ultimate consequence of domestic violence."
As Ian Howard begins his life sentence, a family is left to mourn a beloved woman whose life was cut brutally short, her memory preserved only in the echoes of her killer's final, chilling confession.
