Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 29
Cornwall Police Review 4 Shelter Deaths After Triple Killer's Newquay Stay
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 29

Cornwall Police Review 4 Shelter Deaths After Triple Killer's Newquay Stay

1 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 29

Summary

  • Four deaths at Sandy Lodge in Newquay between December 2024 and April 2025 are under review after James Desborough was convicted of murdering two fellow residents.
  • Devon and Cornwall Police said the dead were two men and two women, and a separate major-crime detective ordered extra forensic work, CCTV checks and witness statements.
  • Rachael Bentley said Desborough, 40, is not a suspect and police do not currently believe the deaths are linked to him, though inquiries remain ongoing.
  • Each death was initially attended by police and appeared to involve natural causes, but coronial investigations were paused after Desborough's arrest on the murder charges.
  • Desborough was also sentenced earlier this year for murdering his cellmate in Exeter Prison while on remand, making him a convicted triple killer.

Insights

Why are police re-examining four 'natural' deaths at a Cornwall homeless shelter after a triple killer lived there?
What warning signs may have been missed at Sandy Lodge before James Desborough was convicted of murdering two residents?