A self-proclaimed spiritual healer who brutally murdered and decapitated her friend in a twisted plot to steal her fortune has been jailed for life. Jemma Mitchell, from Willesden in north west London, targeted 67-year-old widow Mee Kuen Chong after meeting her through a church group. What began as a friendship turned into one of the most shocking murder cases in recent British history.
Mitchell, who presented herself as a healer with deep religious beliefs, bludgeoned Ms Chong to death at her home in Wembley using a blunt object that fractured her skull. After killing her, Mitchell decapitated her victim and stuffed her remains into a large blue suitcase. She then hired a car and drove more than 200 miles to Salcombe in Devon, where she disposed of the body in a wooded area.
During the journey, Mitchell’s car suffered a burst tyre, forcing her to pull into a service station for assistance. The mechanic who arrived to help noticed a strange, musty smell coming from the vehicle. The following day, holidaymakers discovered Ms Chong’s headless body beside a remote footpath.
Investigators later uncovered Mitchell’s motive. The court heard that she devised a plan to kill Ms Chong after the widow withdrew a promise to help her with money. Mitchell and her mother had paid builders 230,000 pounds to renovate their 4 million pound home, but the project collapsed after one of the contractors disappeared with the money, leaving the house roofless and surrounded by scaffolding.
Ms Chong had reportedly offered to lend Mitchell 200,000 pounds to repair the property, but when she changed her mind, Mitchell turned violent. Prosecutors said she murdered Ms Chong in cold blood, then forged a fake will naming herself as the main beneficiary of her friend’s estate, which was valued at more than 700,000 pounds.
The crime, committed in 2021 and uncovered in 2022, stunned the nation. In October 2022, the Old Bailey sentenced Mitchell to life in prison with a minimum term of 34 years. Judge Richard Marks KC described her as extremely devious and said the case revealed a chilling lack of remorse.
“You have shown absolutely no remorse and appear to be in complete denial about what you did,” the judge said. “The enormity of your crime is profoundly shocking, even more so given your apparent religious devotion.”
Mitchell had studied osteopathy in Australia and claimed to possess advanced knowledge of neuroanatomy, genetics, and human dissection. Prosecutors argued that this scientific background helped her carry out the grisly decapitation of her victim.
Detectives described the murder as meticulously planned. Mitchell kept Ms Chong’s body in her house for two weeks before transporting it to Devon. CCTV footage later showed her struggling to carry the heavy suitcase containing the remains.
During the trial, prosecutors presented digital evidence, including forged legal documents and messages showing Mitchell’s obsession with Ms Chong’s money. When confronted by police, she denied all involvement and claimed she had not seen her friend for weeks.
The victim’s sister, Amy Chong, delivered a moving victim impact statement to the court via video link, joined by her nieces and nephew. “Deborah’s death was a shock to us all,” she said, using her sister’s English name. “It was difficult to comprehend how it could have happened to her. Although we were not very close due to differences of opinion about religion, it saddens me deeply that she had to endure such a horrifying ordeal and tragic death.”
After the sentencing, police described Mitchell as one of the most cold-hearted and calculating killers they had ever encountered. They said she tried to present herself as a caring friend and healer while secretly plotting to profit from her victim’s death.
The case remains one of the most gruesome and unsettling murders in recent UK history. It highlights how greed and deception can drive even the most outwardly spiritual people to unimaginable acts of violence.
Comments
Post a Comment