Jemma Mitchell Jailed for Life After Murdering Mee Kuen Chong and Transporting Her Body in Suitcase

Jemma Mitchell, 38, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 34 years for the brutal murder of her friend, Mee Kuen Chong, 67. Mitchell decapitated Chong in London in June 2021 and transported her body 320 kilometres (200 miles) in a suitcase, dumping it in a woodland area in Devon. This case is notable for being the first instance in the UK where someone was sentenced on television.

Judge Richard Marks described Mitchell as “extremely devious” and said the murder was “done for gain.” He also emphasised Mitchell’s lack of remorse and her calculated nature, adding that she had preyed upon the vulnerable Chong, who struggled with mental health issues.

Mitchell’s plan was driven by financial motives. The prosecution revealed that she had plotted to kill Chong after the latter refused to provide £200,000 for Mitchell’s home repairs. The court also discovered a fake will at Mitchell’s house, which would have left the majority of Chong’s estate to her.

The murder occurred when Mitchell visited Chong’s home with the intention of killing her. After the crime, Mitchell stored Chong’s body in the garden of the house she shared with her retired mother. On 26 June 2021, she placed the body in a suitcase, hired a car, and drove to Devon. A punctured tyre delayed her plans, which resulted in her being forced to seek assistance at a service station. The repairman described Mitchell as behaving oddly, and he also noted an unusual smell in the car.

Chong’s headless body was discovered by holidaymakers near Salcombe on 27 June, and her skull was later found nearby. Despite Mitchell’s claims of innocence, a pathologist’s report indicated that Chong had suffered head and rib fractures, likely caused by being placed in the suitcase or through attempts to revive her.

Mitchell, who had a background in osteopathy and human dissection, denied involvement in the murder but chose not to testify during her trial. She was found guilty of murder by a jury at the Old Bailey after deliberating for seven hours.

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Eastwood, who led the investigation, described the crime as “truly despicable.” He also highlighted the extent of Mitchell’s planning and the cold-hearted nature of her actions. Mitchell’s financial desperation and calculated nature were central to the case, with the murder ultimately being driven by her desire to gain access to Chong’s money.

This case has shocked the public, and Mitchell’s sentence marks the end of a disturbing and calculated crime.

Former Danville Officer Andrew Hall Cleared Over Tyrell Wilson’s Death During Confrontation

A former police officer, already serving a prison sentence for a previous fatal shooting, will not face charges over the 2021 killing of Tyrell Wilson, a mentally ill Black man, during a confrontation in Danville, California. Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton confirmed on Friday that no charges would be filed against Andrew Hall, 33, in connection with the death of Wilson, who was holding a knife when officers responded to a call regarding rocks being thrown from an overpass.

Hall, who is currently serving a six-year sentence for the 2018 shooting of Laudemer Arboleda, was involved in the March 2021 incident that led to Wilson’s death. Wilson, 32, who had schizophrenia, was killed after a tense standoff with Hall. Video footage of the incident, captured by a nearby motorist, shows Wilson moving away from Hall before the officer opened fire, fatally shooting Wilson in the head within 32 seconds of the initial encounter.

Becton stated that while the case was complex, her office did not have sufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges, explaining that Hall’s actions could be justified as self-defence. “This was a difficult and challenging case,” she said, adding that the loss of Wilson’s life was deeply felt in the community.

Wilson’s family and their lawyer, John Burris, strongly disagreed with the decision. Burris argued that Hall’s response was excessive and that Wilson’s mental health issues should have been considered when assessing the situation. He believes that a prosecution could have been warranted and that earlier intervention in Hall’s first fatal shooting might have prevented the second tragedy.

The killing has raised further questions regarding the role of race, with Hall being white and Wilson being Black. Critics point to the fact that Danville is a predominantly white town, and Hall’s previous history of using lethal force has compounded suspicions about systemic issues within the police force.

The confrontation began when Hall and other officers arrived at the scene of a reported disturbance involving Wilson, who was carrying a knife. According to the prosecutor’s report, Wilson told Hall not to touch him, brandished the knife, and moved away while threatening the officer. When Wilson allegedly stepped towards Hall with the knife raised, Hall shot him.

Tyrell Wilson’s tragic death, alongside that of Laudemer Arboleda, has sparked protests and legal action. Civil rights lawsuits have been settled by the county, which also provided police officers to Danville under a contract. Hall’s actions continue to divide opinion, and Wilson’s family is considering asking the state attorney general or U.S. attorney to review the case.

Richard Allen, 50, Detained Over Murders of Abby Williams and Libby German in Delphi

Richard Allen, a 50-year-old man, has been arrested in relation to the 2017 murders of two Indiana schoolgirls, Abby Williams and Libby German, in Delphi. Authorities took Allen into custody on Friday, marking a significant breakthrough in the high-profile case. The arrest comes more than five years after the girls were tragically killed.

Allen was initially booked into Carroll County Jail in Delphi before being transferred to a state facility for his safety, according to reports. Although the exact charges are still unclear, law enforcement officials have described the arrest as a “major development,” and a press conference by Indiana State Police is scheduled for Monday.

Following the arrest, Kelsi German, Libby’s sister, expressed her gratitude on social media, writing: “Today is the day. Just know how grateful I am for all of you.”

The arrest of Allen is the first time he has been publicly linked to the murders, which have long remained unsolved. Abby, 13, and Libby, 14, vanished on 13 February 2017 while hiking at the Monon High Bridge near Delphi. Their bodies were discovered the following day, around half a mile off the trail.

Authorities have yet to reveal the cause of death, but a crucial piece of evidence emerged in the form of a Snapchat video recorded by Libby during the hike. The footage, released last year, shows a man approaching the girls while a voice instructs them to “down the hill.” The suspect remains unidentified, though he is described as a white male between 16 and 40 years old, standing between 5’6” and 5’10” tall, and weighing between 180 and 200 pounds.

In a separate development, Indiana State Police revealed last December that a fake social media account, “anthony_shots,” may have been used to lure the girls on their hike, potentially through a process known as catfishing. The account was allegedly used to solicit inappropriate images and attempt to arrange in-person meetings.

The investigation into the case has uncovered further chilling details. Court documents obtained by The Murder Sheet podcast in May suggested that the girls’ bodies had been staged, with the killer possibly taking items from the scene as trophies. FBI search warrants also indicated that the victims suffered significant blood loss and were not killed where their bodies were found.

In August, investigative hosts Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee revealed that police had been searching the Wabash River, about 35 miles east of Delphi, in connection with the case.

At Least Two Dead as Gunman Engages with Officers During Attack at Central VPA High

Shocking footage from a high school shooting in St Louis shows police officers helping students flee the violence that erupted at Central VPA High School. The incident occurred just after 9 am, leaving at least six injured, according to reports. Among the victims, a female student and an adult woman were confirmed dead following the attack.

The shooter, a 20-year-old male, was fatally wounded after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement and later died in hospital, as confirmed by Lieutenant Colonel Michael Sack, the interim chief of the St Louis Police Department.

Disturbing videos from the scene show the police helping terrified students escape the school, with images of desperate parents rushing to the location to find their children.

A student, speaking to KMOV-TV, recalled how a male gunman with a “long gun” burst into their dance class and coldly asked, “Are you ready to die?” Many students initially mistook the incident for a drill until they heard the principal announce the code for an active shooter.

Once the severity of the situation became clear, some students took drastic action, jumping out of windows or barricading themselves in classrooms. Michael De Filippo, a teacher, described the moment, saying, “Once you heard the boom, all the chuckling and laughing in the back of the room stopped.”

Another student, Taniya Gholston, recalled, “All I heard was two shots and he came in there with a gun… I was trying to run but I couldn’t. We made eye contact, but I made it out because his gun jammed. We saw blood on the floor.”

David Williams, a math teacher at the school, heard multiple gunshots from outside his classroom, with one window on the door shattered. He recalled hearing a voice shouting, “You are all going to f***ing die.”

Following the attack, students were taken to Gateway STEM High School, where they were safely reunited with their families. In response to the violence, all schools in the St Louis public school district were placed on “hard lockdown,” and counsellors were made available to support students at every school.