A man has been found guilty of murdering a woman whose body he stored in a freezer before setting it alight in a car. Clive O'Connor, 58, from Bilston, was convicted after a trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court for the murder of Jomaa Jerrare, 52.
Ms Jerrare's burned remains were discovered in a layby on Bridgnorth Road in Perton, Staffordshire, on 9 August 2021. The body was so badly damaged that identification was only possible through fingerprints. A post-mortem examination revealed she had suffered two forceful neck compressions causing fractures, up to ten days before her death.
O'Connor admitted killing Ms Jerrare earlier in the trial, claiming he smothered her with a pillow, but denied murder on grounds of diminished responsibility. However, the court heard that CCTV footage showed him using her bank card after her death, and he had purchased a chest freezer and a band saw around the time she died. Traces of Ms Jerrare's DNA were found inside the freezer, leading detectives to believe he stored her body there for several days.
Police said O'Connor used accelerant to burn the body in an attempt to destroy evidence. His car was seen multiple times late at night near the layby where the body was found. Ms Jerrare's brother, Majed Larbe, who travelled from Canada for the trial, described her as a driven and passionate woman who cared deeply for others.
Ch Insp Dan Ison of Staffordshire Police said the investigation had been "particularly harrowing" and hoped the conviction would bring justice to Ms Jerrare's family. O'Connor is due to be sentenced on Friday at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.
