A jealous man who researched revenge killings online before stabbing his ex-girlfriend and her new partner to death in Cardiff has been sentenced to life in prison. Andrew Saunders, 20, admitted murdering Zoe Morgan, 21, and Lee Simmons, 33, on Queen Street on 28 September last year.
Mrs Justice Nicola Davies described the murders as 'savage and senseless', with a 'significant degree of planning'. She sentenced Saunders to life with a minimum term of 23 years and four months. The court heard Saunders had sent threatening messages to Ms Morgan, including 'I will kill whoever it is' and 'I'll torch his house'.
Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC said Saunders conducted online searches such as '16 steps to kill someone and not get caught' and watched a video titled '10 people who got revenge on cheaters'. On the day of the murders, a witness saw Saunders take an eight-inch knife from his backpack 'in a frenzy'. He stabbed Mr Simmons repeatedly before chasing Ms Morgan into a Boots store and attacking her with a second 10-inch knife.
Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Saunders was arrested later that day and told officers: 'Sometimes, you just snap.' In victim impact statements, the families described Ms Morgan as a 'beautiful, bright and hardworking girl' and Mr Simmons' family said they would 'forever grieve this awful loss'. The judge offered her 'deepest condolences' to the families.
