Across 10 episodes, #DEAD2ME tells the shocking stories of 10 people from all over Britain who were brutally murdered by their partner.
Each episode in this UK commission, exclusive to Crime+Investigation, features first-hand, intimate accounts from the families who directly witnessed the tragic events unfolding, but were powerless to prevent them. The lives of these grieving families were viciously ripped apart when their loved one was killed by the person with whom they shared their life – but, it would turn out, never really knew at all.
Relatives’ moving testimony is supported by evidence from the police and legal teams at the heart of each case, alongside expert analysis by leading professional criminologist Honor Doro Townshend.
Each story is told through digital evidence critical to the case in question - social media posts, bodycam footage, text messages and chat history.
Every episode paints a vivid picture of a couple’s unique story, the manipulation and gaslighting of the victims, and the warning signs and red flags that the perpetrator hid from those who could help.
New episodes of #DEAD2ME air Mondays at 9pm on Crime + Investigation and are available to stream on Crime + Investigation Play.
Episode Guide
Episode 1: “Damien Bendall” – The murder of Terri Harris, John Bennett, Lacey Bennett, Connie Gent, September 2022 (Killamarsh, Derbyshire)
Terri Harris was a loving mum who had no way of knowing that the man she’d met online had a dangerous history of crime, violence and abuse. He would go on to embark on a shocking murder spree that would leave him branded a ‘psychopath’. In this first episode, Terri’s family and friends give first-hand accounts of how they warned Terri about Damien Bendall after uncovering glimpses of his evil past online – only for Bendall to manipulate his way into staying with Terri, with tragic consequences.
Episode 2: “Gavin Murphy” – The murder of Jennifer Poole, April 2021 (Finglas, Dublin)
Jennifer Poole’s life tragically changed when she met Gavin Murphy. Murphy was lying to Jennifer from the very beginning, claiming to have been living in Spain when, in fact, he had been in jail. Over the course of their short relationship, Jennifer became increasingly subdued and distant with her friends and family. It was only after her brutal murder that her family uncovered Murphy’s appalling treatment of Jennifer behind closed doors. They are now campaigning for “Jennie’s Law” to be introduced in Ireland, which, like “Claire’s Law” in the UK, will allow records of domestic violence to be accessible to the public.
Episode 3: “Kamila Ahmad” – The murder of Tai O’Donnell, March 2021 (Croydon, Greater London)
Tai O’Donnell was a talented musician, but his ambitions were cruelly cut short after he met Kamila Ahmad. Devious and manipulative, Kamila managed to hide her violent past and keep control of Tai – and when he tried to leave, she stopped him in the most brutal way possible.
Episode 4: “Jack Sepple” – The murder of Ashley Wadsworth, February 2022 (Chelmsford, Essex)
Canadian Ashley Wadsworth met Jack Sepple online when she was just 12 and he was 15. Their long-distance romance continued, and Ashley travelled to the UK when she turned 18. Knowing nothing about Jack’s evil side – or the restraining orders held against him – she only experienced Jack’s true character when they moved in together.
Episode 5: “Thomas Nutt” – The murder of Dawn Walker, October 2021 (Lightcliffe, West Yorkshire)
Dawn Walker met Thomas Nutt online, and from the very beginning he tried to control every aspect of her life. Nutt moved her away from the family home and kept their new location a secret from Dawn’s mother and three daughters. He manipulated her into marriage, and their wedding day was the last time Dawn’s family would see her alive.
Episode 6: “Ian Bennett” – The murder of Kerry Woolley, July 2020 (Olton/Solihull, West Midlands)
When Kerry Woolley developed a problem with alcohol, her family all rallied round to try to get her back on her feet. But Kerry had met a new friend called Ian Bennett, who seemed more intent on drinking with Kerry than helping her. Her family had no idea what Bennett was capable of.
Episode 7: “Anthony Lowe” – The murder of Katherine Smith, September 2017 (Cardiff)
Katherine met Anthony Lowe on a dating website, but he was not the man he appeared to be online. Using a fake profile, he tricked her into a relationship which ended with her murder in her own home.
Episode 8: “Keith Bettison” – The murder of Ildiko Bettison, October 2020 (Chessington, Surrey)
Keith and Ildiko Bettison had been married for decades, with a teenage daughter and an apparently happy life. But when their daughter, Zsuzsika, moved away to university, their relationship imploded into a chaotic world of bullying, violence and alcoholism that would culminate in murder.
Episode 9: “Caroline Mawhood” – The murder of Simon Gilchrist, 2004 (York, North Yorkshire)
Simon Gilchrist was a hard-working young man from a loving family, but his life changed once he started a relationship with Caroline Mawhood. She was pregnant by another man when they met, but Simon agreed to bring the child up as his own, and soon they welcomed another baby. But Caroline was prone to bouts of heavy drinking and violent behaviour – which, one day, went too far.
Episode 10: “Andrew Innes” – The murder of Bennylyn Burke & Jellica Burke, Feb/March 2021 (Dundee)
Bennylyn Burke moved to the UK from the Philippines, hoping for a better life. Tragically, she would be preyed upon by Andrew Innes, who used computer software to target her on a dating site, then lure her to her death.
