A woman was battered to death with a claw hammer by her boyfriend of 12 years after protracted building work after protracted building work at their new home and the isolation of Covid lockdown.
She was hammered 20 times
Alexis Karran – described as a ‘happy, selfless and kind’ by family members – was struck 20 times over the head in a frenzied attack by Daniel Mitchell.
How it happened
The freelance illustrator was putting up pictures on the wall in the couple’s £250,000 property in Dukinfield, Greater Manchester, when he suddenly snapped and set about Alexis in a random assault.
The killer waited 20 minutes before calling 999 to confess what he had done, as police and paramedics dashed to the two-bedroom detached house to find the hospital radiographer inside with severe head injuries.
Now detained and hospitalized
At Manchester Crown Court, the 48-year-old pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility after his not guilty plea to murder was accepted.
He was ordered to be detained in a high security hospital until he is deemed fit to be released by a medical tribunal.
Tributes
In a tribute dedicated to Ms Karen, her loved ones said: ‘Alexis was a very caring person; she showed kindness to all she met – to all friends and strangers.
‘She was always and will be the best role model for how to live life, that her brother constantly aspired to match. She is forever in our hearts. We will always be waiting to say hello.’
Ms Karen last text
The couple had been planning to have friends over for Sunday lunch on the fateful day of the attack.
In the run-up to the killing, Ms Karen texted a relative saying: ‘His poor brain is just broken with stress and utter despair.’
Following the brutal strikes, the 49-year-old was transported to Salford Royal Hospital but died soon after her arrival with doctors concluding she suffered multiple ‘unsurvivable’ head and scalp injuries.
His statement
Mr Mitchell was detained under the Mental Health Act later relayed the killing to psychiatrists telling one: ‘The night before I don’t recall, but I didn’t have much sleep. I woke up as we were planning a Sunday dinner and friends were coming round.
‘I started the day with trying to put some pictures up, however the task felt like the biggest chore in the world. I just picked up the hammer and hit her with it, I don’t know why. I don’t know why but I went on hitting her until I thought she was dead.’
He added: ‘Once I started I was unable to stop. It was like an out of body experience. I must be some sort of monster to do this to any person. She was my soul mate and best friend.’
