A man has been convicted of beating and strangling a vulnerable victim to death after holding him captive in his flat for two weeks and draining his bank account.
Conviction Details
Ashley Crowder, 36, was found guilty of murder, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and four counts of theft at Bolton Crown Court on Wednesday. He awaits sentencing next month for the killing of Graham Cox, 37.
The court heard that Mr Cox was discovered on March 4, 2024, lying on a sofa with a blanket over him. Paramedics noted he was cold to the touch with visible signs of rigor mortis. He had suffered a fatal beating, and his bank account had been completely emptied. Mr Cox had reportedly endured 14 days without food.
Police Investigation
When police arrived at Crowder's flat on Barton Walk, Farnworth, Crowder claimed Mr Cox had fallen days earlier and sustained a bleed on the brain, insisting he was about to call an ambulance. Crowder denied physically and financially abusing Mr Cox in the weeks before his death, the exact date of which remains unknown.
The court was told Mr Cox had been in a pitiful state of health for months leading up to his death. His own home on St James Street, Farnworth, had been uninhabitable for several weeks. He was described as vulnerable due to drug addiction and existing medical conditions.
Prosecutors alleged that Mr Cox was forced to hand over his benefits to Crowder, who beat and strangled him to death.
