Man watched married couple dying on his telephone, murder trial told

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A person used an app on his telephone to observe a married couple dying, having allegedly poisoned them with the opioid painkiller fentanyl, a courtroom has heard.

Luke D’Wit, 34, rewrote a will for Stephen and Carol Baxter the day after they had been discovered lifeless at their dwelling in Mersea Island in Essex, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

He denies murdering the couple, who the courtroom heard he had labored for and befriended.

Tracy Ayling KC, prosecuting, stated Mr Baxter, 61, and his 64-year-old spouse had been discovered lifeless sitting of their particular person armchairs of their conservatory on Easter Sunday – April 9 – final 12 months.

She stated that on April 10, D’Wit created a will on his telephone which made him a director of the couple’s bathe mat firm.

Ms Ayling stated D’Wit had put in a “mobile security surveillance application” on his telephone.

She stated this allowed him to observe a digicam from one other gadget.

Ms Ayling stated that police who analysed D’Wit’s telephone discovered photos of Mr and Mrs Baxter “in their armchairs” on the afternoon of April 7 final 12 months, with one timed at 5.14pm.

She stated that doorbell digicam footage captured him strolling in the direction of the Baxters’ tackle “looking at a phone” that day.

“The prosecution case is that he was looking at these images of the Baxters in their conservatory sitting in their armchairs,” the prosecutor stated.

“The same chairs they were discovered in by (their daughter) Ellie (Baxter) two days later.”

She stated that the couple “did not move at all” after the pictures had been taken.

The trial was earlier told that Mrs Baxter had a thyroid situation and a pacemaker.

“If she had moved after those… images were taken, the pacemaker would have recorded it,” stated Ms Ayling.

Continuing to handle the jury, she stated: “Why was Mr D’Wit watching Mr and Mrs Baxter in the conservatory?

“Was he watching them die?

“Both were already incapacitated.

“Was this when Mr D’Wit made everything pristine, cleaning up the cups and not leaving any trace?”

She stated D’Wit didn’t go away the Baxters’ dwelling till 7.55pm on April 7, when he was captured by a doorbell digicam.

“He was the last person to see them alive,” stated Ms Ayling, persevering with to open the prosecution’s case.

“He watched them dying on his phone.”

The trial continues, with jurors requested to return at 10.30am on Monday when proof within the case will start.