A Devon father has been found guilty of murdering his wife after a chilling campaign of manipulation in which he groomed his own young child to participate in the killing.
A Twisted Plan and a Child's Heartbreaking Role
Robert Rhodes, 52, from Withleigh in Devon, meticulously planned the murder of his wife, Dawn. In a horrifying twist, he involved his child, who was under the age of ten at the time. The court heard how Rhodes instructed the youngster to lure their mother into a false sense of security.
The child was told to say, "I drew a picture for you, close your eyes and hold out your hands." After Dawn closed her eyes in anticipation, the child left the room and locked themselves in the bathroom. Rhodes then launched a brutal knife attack on his unsuspecting wife.
The Cover-Up and Continued Manipulation
Immediately after the murder, which occurred on the evening of 18 January 2016, Rhodes dialled 999. He claimed his wife had attacked him and, during a struggle, had aimed a knife at the child, causing a cut on their arm. In a calculated move to bolster this false narrative, Rhodes then asked his sobbing child for a "favour" and forced them to stab him in the back of his own arm.
His manipulation did not end there. While on bail for the murder in 2016 and 2017, Rhodes covertly stayed in contact with the child to ensure they stuck to the story. Even from behind bars, he used a hidden phone to leave messages, reminding the child of their "agreement" and warning, "Snitches get stitches."
Truth Emerges as Child Confesses Guilt
Living with unbearable guilt, the child finally confessed to police in 2022, revealing the horrifying truth. "I didn't want to do any of it. I just felt guilty but I did what I was told," the child said in an interview.
During a retrial that concluded last Friday, the child gave evidence against their father, describing the experience as "heartbreaking and distressing." They confronted Rhodes for "gaslighting me, parading around as a survivor, while destroying me and my mother."
The emotional impact was laid bare in court. "I wish I could say his manipulating and abuse has not ruined my life, but I can't," the child stated. "I wish I could say Robert Rhodes did not take everything away from me, but I can't."
Given the child's age at the time of the offence, they bear no criminal responsibility for aiding the murder. Rhodes has now been found guilty after a retrial and awaits sentencing for his calculated and cruel crime.
