One woman decided to organize a 60th birthday party for her ex-fiancé because she didn’t want him to be “lonely.” Now, he has been sentenced to life in prison after murdering her after the party.
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Woman Spent Birthday With Her Ex-Fiancé Before He Murdered Her
61-year-old James Cartwright from Britain killed 54-year-old Samantha Mickleburgh in April 2024, the BBC reported. Now, over a year later, he has been sentenced for murdering the mother-of-two.
Just before her death, Mickleburgh was worried her ex-fiancé would spend his 60th birthday alone. So, she agreed to go with him, which ended her life.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service, Cartwright was guilty of raping and killing Mickleburgh in a Surrey hotel. She had previously described her relationship with her ex-fiance to her friends as “suffocating.”
Although he had moved out of her house just weeks earlier, she felt bad about his lonely birthday. The two ate dinner together at Pennyhill Park Hotel and Spa that evening, but she began feeling ill. They left before finishing their meal, and although the hotel called to find out why, Cartwright refused to give any reason.
Just before 8:30 AM the following day, on April 14, Cartwright called emergency services. He claimed to have discovered Mickleburgh’s body.
Later, officials would discover that Cartwright put an engagement ring on her left finger before first responders arrived. That way, they would think they were together again. Cartwright also allegedly “staged the hotel room” to make it seem like the two had consensual sex.
Man Sentenced To Life In Prison
Nevertheless, the police weren’t falling for his tricks. “It was clear from the forensic evidence that Samantha had been murdered,” said Moses Koroma from CPS.
“She was strangled and had a significant head injury, and the jury saw straight through Cartwright’s claims that this had all resulted from her falling out of bed.”
Post-mortem evidence showed that she was strangled to death. On top of that, she had a severe head injury.
Koroma described how Cartwright began to “weave his web of lies” as soon as he called 999. The man claimed that his ex-fiancée asked him to move back in, and they would be remarried within the next few months.
“A very different picture emerged of their relationship from conversations Samantha had with friends and family about their life behind closed doors,” Koroma continued. “Worried that he would be alone for his 60th birthday, Samantha honoured her promise to spend the weekend with Cartwright. He took advantage of this last selfless act with a vicious and murderous attack.”
The jury has since unanimously convicted Cartwright of murder and rape. They have also acquitted him of controlling/coercive behavior.