Man stabbed mother to death, ‘changed clothes and picked their daughter up from school’
Leon Murray admitted killing Keisha Christodoulou but claimed diminished responsibility at his murder trial at Wood Green Crown Court.
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A father stabbed his partner 17 times before changing his clothes and going on a school run to pick up their daughter, a court heard.
Keisha Christodoulou, 32, had told Leon Murray, 35, that she wanted to end their relationship the day before she was knifed to death at her home in Deptford, south London on November 1, 2022.
Murray then changed clothes and went to pick up their six-year-old daughter from school as normal.
He told school staff that “it is done” and that he had “ended” Keisha.
Staff quickly called 999, as did Murray, telling police what he had done.
Emergency responders rushed to the flat to find Keisha dying from a chest wound on the living room floor.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as sharp force trauma to the chest.
Murray admitted killing Keisha but claimed diminished responsibility at his murder trial at Wood Green Crown Court.
But the jury accepted the prosecution’s argument that Murray had no substantial impairment of his responsibility and that he knew what he was doing.
DI Adam Clifton, who led the investigation, said: “Murray’s horrific response to Keisha deciding to end their relationship is as senseless as it is selfish. Throughout the investigation and trial, Murray has tried to paint himself as a victim. The verdict of the jury shows that they rejected this.
“The level of violence used in the attack is utterly shocking and our thoughts remain with Keisha’s family and friends, particularly her three young children whose lives will never be the same.
“Tackling violence against women is one of our top priorities and we will continue in our efforts to bring dangerous perpetrators like Murray to justice. I would encourage anyone suffering domestic abuse to seek support.”
Leon Murray, of no fixed address, was found guilty on Friday, 31 May.
He will be sentenced at the same court on Monday, 3 June.