Stephen Akinmurele

Stephen Oladimeji K. Akinmurele (16 March 1978 – 28 August 1999)^[1] was a British suspected serial killer who was charged with murdering five elderly people between 1995 and 1998. Akinmurele confessed to a number of the murders but committed suicide before his trial. Police believe he may have also been responsible for two further killings. The case is noted for Akinmurele's long-standing hatred of elderly people.^[2]

Victims

All of the victims in the case were elderly with the lead investigator in the case noting that Akinmurele had a "pathological hatred" of old people. He was dubbed "cul-de-sac killer" due to his choice of elderly victims living in quiet suburban streets. Akinmurele, who was of Nigerian descent, had a history of mental illness and had committed crimes against the elderly from the age of 11.^[3] He was drawn to situations in which he would encounter the elderly with the police asserting he got a "kick" out of killing old people.^[4]

Eric Boardman, one of the victims, received a posthumous award for his bravery in defending himself and his wife from Akinmurele. Boardman's actions caused vital evidence to be left at the scene by Akinmurle, enabling the police to trace him through his fingerprints.^[2][5]

Death

Akinmurele killed himself in Manchester Prison in August 1999. In his suicide note, Akinmurele admitted to the crimes, saying that he regretted them and feared he would kill again.^[6] He had also earlier admitted to three other killings of younger victims, though police believe the confession to be false and an attempt to mask the ageist motivation behind his crimes.^[2]

References