A KILLER who strangled an OAP to death then left her body to rot while he went on a spending spree with his girlfriend has been jailed.
Xyaire Howard, 23, bound 71-year-old Susan Hawkey with tape and shoelaces in her own home after first robbing her in the street.
Central NewsXyaire Howard and Chelsea Grant used Susan’s bankcard to go on a spending spree[/caption]
Central NewsThe pensioner was strangled at her home[/caption]
He then forced her to reveal her PIN number before strangling her to death and wrapping her body in a duvet.
Howard left Susan’s body to mummify on her living room floor while he and girlfriend Chelsea Grant, 28, rinsed her bank account of £13,000.
He has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 31 years after being convicted of murder, while Grant received 15 years for robbery and fraud.
The horror unfolded in Neasden, North West London, on August 22 after the couple knocked Susan to the ground outside her home.
Grant, who was cleared of murder, had just weeks earlier attacked the frail pensioner by wrenching her bag from her shoulder.
After stealing Susan’s bank card, Howard bragged to a pal: “Yo I copped a card bro. 16k is on this ting.”
The following day, Howard and Grant returned to grab cash but as her card had been cancelled, they could not use that to purchase anything.
They then decided to wait until a replacement card was delivered and forced Susan to give them the PIN number.
The couple were seen on CCTV walking to and from Susan’s home on September 6 and 7 but it is not clear when she was killed.
They splurged £13,000 on luxury goods – including perfume, a new TV, speakers, phones, clothing, shoes, sunglasses, watches and handbags.
While the couple made 146 different transactions, Susan’s body rotted on the living room floor.
The Old Bailey heard how Grant, who gave birth in custody before the trial, claimed she was not at the home when Susan died.
She instead said Howard later asked her to stand outside and “sniff” to see if she could smell a dead body.
By September 16, Grant was making chilling Google searches for “decomposition scent” and “how long does a dead body smell”.
She also searched “How do neighbours smell dead bodies through entire walls from outside and in other houses?” and “Is a dead body a very strong smell?”
Susan’s body was eventually discovered by police on September 26 after her neighbours raised the alarm.
She had been bound, blindfolded with tape and still had a shoelace around her neck where she was strangled to death by Howard.
The pensioner’s trousers and underwear had been removed and a used condom was found nearby.
It was suggested during the trial that Howard may have had sex with Susan before he murdered her.
Grant denied but was convicted of three counts of robbery, while Howard denied and was convicted of one charge of robbery.
He admitted a second count of robbery and was cleared of a third.
They both admitted two counts of fraud and were found guilty of one count of attempted robbery.
Central NewsHoward has been jailed for life for murder[/caption]
Central NewsGrant made chilling Google searches[/caption]
Central NewsThe couple spent £13k in total[/caption]
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