Joseph Greer, 40, has been jailed for life for the brutal murder of his partner, Samantha Lee, in Aberdeen. The High Court in Dundee handed him a 22-year sentence on Friday.
The attack and discovery
Greer repeatedly struck the 54-year-old mother-of-three with a claw hammer during a prolonged and violent assault at his flat in Aberdeen in January. The body of Samantha was discovered when a friend of Greer came to his door. Greer confessed: "Samantha is dead. She is in the kitchen."
The couple had been in a relationship since 2021. Greer, originally from Coventry, England, had been on bail at the time of the murder, subject to three bail orders.
Previous violence
Samantha had been a victim of Greer's violence before her death. In October 2025, mobile phone footage captured Greer on top of Samantha in Aberdeen's George Street, hitting her. He was also seen smacking her with a handset from a public phone. Greer was arrested and appeared in court the next day, but was later bailed with an order not to go near Samantha and a curfew requiring an electronic tag.
Prosecutor Graeme Jessop KC previously said the exact time or date of the murder were not known. However, Samantha had contacted a friend via Facebook on Hogmanay, saying she feared Greer was "going to kill her".
Discovery of the body
Samantha was last seen on CCTV at a local shop on New Year's Day and had spoken to one of her daughters on the phone. A friend of Greer visited him at his Bedford Road bedsit on January 4. It was there the killer initially stated: "I have something to tell you." The friend then made the grim find of Samantha's body in the bloodbath flat and stayed at the scene, but Greer left the block.
The court was told Samantha had suffered a series of blunt force head injuries including fractures. No weapon was found, but Greer had earlier told a friend that he owned a claw hammer.
Arrest and conviction
Greer was later arrested elsewhere in Aberdeen. Forensic evidence linked him to the murder. He pleaded guilty to the aggravated assault of Samantha during the October 2025 street attack and admitted to the murder charge at the High Court in Glasgow in June.
Laura Buchan, Legal Director at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said: "Joseph Greer carried out a brutal and sustained attack on Samantha Lee before failing to raise the alarm. This is a tragic case where domestic abuse escalated to murder." She added: "Samantha's death is a stark reminder of the devastating impact violence against women and girls can have. Prosecutors will continue to use every legal tool available to hold those responsible for domestic abuse to account."
