Related Post
A serial killer superfan and his boyfriend have been jailed for life after luring a woman to their ‘house of horrors’ flat to murder her.
Nathan Maynard-Ellis, 30, has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 30 years at Warwick Crown Court for the murder of Julia Rawson, 42, whose body was dismembered and hidden in undergrowth.
Maynard-Ellis’s partner David Leesley, 25, was given a minimum term of 19 years for his role in the killing at the couple’s ‘flat of horrors’ in Mission Drive, Tipton, West Midlands, in May 2019.
Passing sentence, Mr Justice Soole said he was sure that both men had attacked Ms Rawson about the head with weapons, and had then engaged in a ‘cool, calm and thorough’ cover-up.
Maynard-Ellis and boyfriend Leesley brutally killed Ms Rawson before dumping her body parts in bin bags on May 11 last year.
Julia, pictured sitting at the bar, met Nathan Maynard-Ellis, right, at the Bottle and Cork pub on May 11, 2019. Prosecutors say it was ‘unlikely,’ that she knew he was gay when she got in a cab to go back to his flat, where she was bludgeoned to death
Nathan Maynard-Ellis, 25, killed Julia Rawson at a ‘flat of horrors’ he shared with boyfriend David Leesley, 25, in Tipton, West Midlands. Pictured: Leesley (left) and Maynard-Ellis (right) in a court sketch
David Leesley, 30, and Nathan Maynard-Ellis, 25, were arrested 11 days after they brutally murdered Julia Rawson. A jury at their murder trial returned a unanimous guilty verdict against them both
The 42-year-old victim was battered with a rolling pin after she was lured back to their home before the evil pair used a hacksaw to cut up her body.
Maynard-Ellis is accused of killing 42-year-old Ms Rawson (pictured) as the culmination of ‘years of pent-up fantasy’ after meeting her by chance in a pub in Dudley
They then stuffed the 12 body parts into bags and dumped them in two different locations before burning her blood-stained clothes in a bid to cover their tracks.
Maynard-Ellis was snared when CCTV showed him chatting to Ms Rawson in a Dudley pub on the night he lured her back to his flat and bludgeoned her to death
A court heard the apartment in Mission Drive, Dudley Port, West Mids., was dubbed the ‘flat of horrors’ as it was crammed with creepy horror film memorabilia.
Maynard-Ellis and Leesley were found guilty of murder, concealment, destruction or disposal of a body and perverting the course of justice last month.
Maynard-Ellis was also found guilty of rape, attempted rape and threats to kill against another woman at Coventry Crown Court.
Today Maynard-Ellis was jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 30 years while Leesley received a life sentence with a minimum of 15 years at Warwick Crown Court.
The court heard Ms Rawson had spent the evening with an ex-girlfriend, but caught the wrong bus home and ended up in the Bottle And Cork pub.
Bodycam footage of the arrest of Nathan Maynard-Ellis (left) and David Leesley (right)
The horror fanatic collected newspaper clippings and books about serial killers, and horror films featuring decapitation and necrophilia
Maynard-Ellis had a work bench covered with dolls’ heads and severed hands along with tools including pliers, drills and an axe
CCTV released by West Midlands Police following the case, shows Maynard-Ellis enter the pub at 10.45pm.
Ms Rawson, who was sitting with another man at the bar, approached him and they started chatting before she agreed to go back with him in a taxi.
Pictures taken inside the property show it filled with creepy novels, a Chucky doll holding a knife and gory homemade face-masks of characters from horror movies Maynard-Ellis used to make.
Another snap shows a work bench covered with dolls heads and severed hands along with tools including pliers, drills and an axe.
Jurors heard Ms Rawson was hit over the back of the head four times with a rolling pin before Maynard-Ellis and Leesley dismembered her in the bath.
The pair used saws to cut up her body and it was suggested the evil pair may have removed her right kidney as a macabre trophy of the killing.
Pictures taken inside the ‘flat of horrors’ show it crammed with creepy novels, a Chucky doll holding a knife and gory homemade face-masks of characters from horror movies Maynard-Ellis used to make
After murdering and dismembering Ms Rawson, the pair stuffed her body parts into black plastic bags.
The next day the pair were caught on CCTV strolling along a nearby canal where they dumped the bags in undergrowth.
After Ms Rawson’s family reported her missing, police launched a huge search which lasted for 47 days before he body parts were finally discovered.
Maynard-Ellis and Leesley were finally caught on May 22 when a member of the public alerted police following a CCTV appeal.
In a statement, Julia’s family described her as ‘easy-going and quick to make friends with anyone she met.
‘She was a talented artist and musician, with the ability to play by ear. Her drawings were shown at local art shows.
Maynard-Ellis was filmed visiting another pub just a day after Julia had disappeared. Police later managed to arrest the horror-obsessed murderer following a CCTV appeal
Police uncovered washed traces of blood under a newly-laid carpet at the flat in Tipton where Ms Rawson was bludgeoned to death
Officers also found a bin that was used to burn some of the victim’s clothing following the brutal murder last year
Footage taken on the afternoon of May 16, shows Maynard-Ellis dumping a blood-stained sofa and roll of carpet at Oldbury rubbish tip
‘Her death has had a devastating impact on us, the mutilation of her body and the callous way in which her remains were scattered has revolted us.
‘We can only pray Julia knew nothing about these abhorrent acts.
‘We are a close and loving family, clinging to each other in an attempt to support each other through this harrowing ordeal, but shall remain deeply affected and troubled by these events for the rest of our lives because Julia’s loss is felt as keenly today as when we heard she had first gone missing.’
Detective Inspector Jim Colclough, from West Midlands Police, said: ‘This is simply a tragic case.
‘The actions of Maynard-Ellis and Leesley are incomprehensible. Julia did nothing wrong that evening.
‘The way in which she was murdered and treated in death are despicable.
‘Julia’s family, friends and the wider community in which this horrific killing has occurred are left devastated by the cruel actions of the pair.
‘Fortunately depraved crimes like this are rare, but their actions were sickening and it’s been a complex and emotionally difficult case for us as officers to investigate.
‘However we were determined to seek justice for Julia. My thoughts remain with them at this difficult time.’
He was filmed with a friend, who had no idea what he done, as they chose which bin to dump the items in
The court has been told the victim’s body was cut into 11 parts and dumped in undergrowth near the defendants’ home (pictured) in Dudley Port
Jurors heard the apartment in Tipton was dubbed the ‘flat of horrors’.
Pictures taken inside show it crammed with creepy novels, a Chucky doll holding a knife and gory homemade face-masks of characters from horror movies Maynard-Ellis used to make.
Another image shows a work bench covered with dolls’ heads along with tools including pliers, drills and an axe.
As well as having been seen by psychiatrists about his sexually violent fantasies, Maynard-Ellis had collected newspaper clippings and books about serial killers, and horror films featuring decapitation and necrophilia.
Jurors heard that Ms Rawson was a lesbian but was sometimes ‘flirtatious’ with men while drunk.
Karim Khalil QC told the trial: ‘At about 2am in the morning, Julia and Nathan Maynard-Ellis got into a taxi.
‘Before they arrived at the flat it’s unlikely that Julia would have known that Nathan Maynard-Ellis was a homosexual.
‘She would also not have known that his boyfriend was in the flat.
‘Furthermore, Julia could not have known that she was about to enter a “flat of horrors” – but she must have realised this very soon after she went in.
‘One can only imagine the sense of panic that it might have created in her.’
Jurors heard Ms Rawson was hit over the back of the head four times with a rolling pin before Maynard-Ellis and Leesley dismembered her in the bath.
The pair used saws to cut up her body and it was suggested the evil pair may have removed her right kidney as a macabre trophy of the killing.
After murdering and dismembering Ms Rawson, the pair stuffed her body parts into black plastic bags.
The next day the pair were caught on CCTV strolling along a nearby canal where they dumped the bags in undergrowth.
Video footage released the evening after the murder shows Maynard-Ellis enjoying a pint in the Fountain Inn pub in Tipton, less than 24 hours after the murder.
The clip shows Maynard-Ellis, wearing a smart shirt and jeans, cracking jokes and standing at the bar.
After Ms Rawson’s family reported her missing, police launched a huge search which lasted for 47 days before he body parts were finally discovered.
Both Maynard-Ellis – who has been diagnosed with depression and Asperger’s syndrome – and Leesley deny murder. Pictured: Police search a canal near their home
Ms Rawson had spent the evening with an ex-girlfriend, but caught the wrong bus home and ended up in the Bottle And Cork (pictured) in Dudley, where she was said to have met Maynard-Ellis
Later footage taken on the afternoon of May 16, shows Maynard-Ellis dumping the blood-stained sofa and roll of carpet at Oldbury rubbish tip.
He was filmed with a friend, who had no idea what Maynard-Ellis had done, choosing which bin to dump the items in.
At one point, pony-tailed Maynard-Ellis even casually walks over to speak to a member of staff before going back to the car.
Maynard-Ellis and Leesley were caught on May 22 when a member of the public alerted police following a CCTV appeal.
Body-cam footage shows an officer ask Maynard-Ellis: ‘We’re looking for a woman who has been missing for about 11 days.
‘We’ve checked CCTV and she is with someone who matches your description.’
Maynard-Ellis laughs before saying: ‘I’ve probably chopped all my hair off though.’
When he is asked if he knows Ms Rawson, he shakes his head repeatedly before saying: ‘The only people I know are my partner and his family.’
Maynard-Ellis refuses to tell officers his name before being arrested with Leesley.
Bags containing Ms Rawson’s remains were found on June 12 and 19 behind Sacred Heart Primary School in Tipton while others were discovered a mile away on wasteland near Coneygree Road.
A post mortem revealed her limbs were cut off, while she was also cut across the waist and was decapitated.
When officers swooped on the pair’s flat they discovered a metal bin which had been used to burn Ms Rawson’s blood-spattered clothes.
Detectives also found a collection of violent horror films, including Nekromantic 1 and Nekromantic 2 – which depict images of decapitation and necrophilia.
A napkin which Ms Rawson had written her nickname ‘Ju Ju’ on and given to Maynard-Ellis was found in his bedside cabinet.
After pulling up a newly laid carpet, police also found blood stains on the floor.
