Police are reviewing the unexplained deaths of four people who lived at a homeless shelter at the same time as serial killer James Desborough, who is to be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon for murdering Claudio Aquilino, 57, and Daniel Coleman, 43, in Cornwall last year.
Review of deaths at Sandy Lodge Hotel
The killer and his victims previously lived together at Sandy Lodge Hotel in Newquay, which housed homeless people and those suffering from addictions. In light of the deaths of Mr Aquilino and Mr Coleman, police are reviewing the unexplained deaths of four others who lived there at the same time as Desborough. The killer lived at Sandy Lodge Hotel between December 2024 and April 2025, during which time two men and two women died unexpectedly.
Police comments on the review
Detective Superintendent Rachael Bentley, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “As a major crime investigation team, we were informed by the coroner’s officer for His Majesty’s Coroner that there were four deaths at Sandy Lodge. As part of the investigation, a detective inspector, separate to the investigation but within major crime, did a review of those deaths and that included commissioning some more forensic work, some CCTV and statements. There are still some inquiries outstanding on those. They remain as unexpected deaths, but there are still some inquiries outstanding. He’s not a suspect at this time. We’re in conversation with His Majesty’s Coroner, but they were reviewed as part of the investigation.”
She added that the investigation into the four deaths at the Sandy Lodge Hotel is “ongoing”. “We don’t believe there is a link at this time,” she added. Ms Bentley said the police had attended each of the deaths at Sandy Lodge and inquiries suggested natural causes, but coronial investigations were paused when Desborough was arrested for murder. She added: “We kept an open mind throughout the investigation that more victims could come into this investigation. At the moment, we’re not looking for any other missing people associated with James Desborough. We kept an open mind… If there is any evidence that comes to light, we will obviously do a review and investigate.”
Details of the murders and killer’s background
Mr Aquilino and Mr Coleman, who both suffered from long-term addictions, had previously lived with Desborough at the homeless hostel, and the last time they were both seen alive was in his company. After their disappearances, the powerfully built Desborough, who is 5ft 10in and weighs nearly 18st, went on to spend their money on drugs and alcohol, and claimed they had both left Cornwall. Their bodies were dismembered in an area of Sticker Woods, near St Austell, where Desborough lived in a wooden cabin.
The former builder is already serving a life sentence after he strangled his prison cellmate, Steven Kempster, 65, at HMP Exeter while on remand awaiting this trial, because of his snoring. Following the murder trial, a jury at Winchester Crown Court returned the unanimous guilty verdicts on Tuesday after deliberating for three hours and 15 minutes. Desborough, of Old Oak Woods, Lower Sticker, Cornwall, had previously pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful burial of the two men’s bodies.
