A MAN fatally poisoned a millionaire couple then rewrote their will after claiming he was like an “adopted son” to them, a court heard.
Luke D’Wit, 34, had workedas a handyman for Stephen and Carol Baxter, who ran bath and shower mat firm Cazsplash, in Mersea Island, Essex.
East Anglia News ServiceStephen and Carol Baxter were found dead at their home by their daughter[/caption]
He is accused of poisoning the couple with a powerful opioid painkiller at their home then rewriting their will.
Jurors heard the document was “created” by D’Wit on his phone on April 10 last year – the day after Stephen and Carol were found dead.
It included terms that “our dear friend Luke D’Wit is to be the person of significant control” for Cazsplash, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.
Tracy Ayling KC, prosecuting, said: “He had rewritten their will and stolen Carol’s jewellery, among many other things, to benefit from their deaths.”
The horror unfolded on April 9 last year when the couple’s daughter Ellie Baxter discovered her parents dead in the conservatory in their individual armchairs.
In a 999 call played to jurors, Ellie can be heard screaming as she tells the operator: “I need an ambulance right now.”
She then yells out “they’re f***ing dead! They’re frozen” as she attempted to smash the conservatory glass.
D’Wit then takes over the call as Ellie weeps in the background and tells the call handler: “I’m a friend”.
He continued: “They are dead. They are both just cold.”
Jurors were told the alleged killer was “very calm and plausible” and explained he was the last person to see Carol and Stephen alive.
‘Poisoned to death’
When interviewed by police as a witness, D’Wit told officers he left the couple’s home on April 7 at 7.55pm.
He said at the time, Carol was asleep while Stephen was in the kitchen discussing dinner.
Ms Ayling said D’Wit did in fact leave at this time but police found he had walked out while the couple were both “incapacitated”, rather than coming up with their evening plans.
Although there was no obvious cause of death, tests revealed Stephen and Carol had been poisoned by a drug called fentanyl, the court heard.
In both cases, their stomach contents were analysed, which “suggested but doesn’t conclusively show that the drug was ingested orally”.
The prosecutor said: “It’s difficult to imagine any scenario when two individuals who are not prescribed fentanyl could accidentally contaminate their food with this drug.”
D’Wit, of Churchfields, West Mersea denies murder. The trial continues.
East Anglia News ServiceCarol and her husband ran a bath and shower mat firm[/caption]
East Anglia News ServicePolice were called to the couple’s home on April 9 last year[/caption]
SWNSOfficers discovered D’Wit was allegedly lying about their last movements[/caption]
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
