Merciless killer tortured couple in their 80s
AN evil burglar who battered and tortured an elderly woman to death and assaulted her husband in their home has been found guilty of murder.
Vasile Culea subjected Freda Walker, 86, and husband Ken, 88, to a “sustained and savage” ordeal with the frail couple bound and gagged.
They were “left to their fate” in an attack that was “devoid of mercy”, a jury was told.
Culea, 34, forced his way into the house in Langwith Junction, Derbys, in January after overhearing the couple had £30,000 hidden there.
The Romanian national lay in wait until darkness, after making reconnaissance trips, before forcing his way in.
Bound
He then demanded the money and tortured Freda in front of Ken when he could not remember where the money was stored.
Ken, a former mayor and district council chairman, was found critically injured after a neighbour discovered Freda’s bloodied body in the kitchen.
The charity worker had multiple injuries. Plastic bags and a pillowcase covered her head. Retired electrician Ken was bound at the knees under the dining room table.
He survived the attack but passed away seven months later from natural causes.
Culea, from Church Warsop, Notts, was convicted at Derby Crown Court of murdering Freda but cleared of attempting to murder Ken.
The thug was found guilty of grievous bodily harm.
The court heard the couple, who had been married 60-plus years, took out the £30,000 to carry out renovations.
Culea only managed to find £300 in Freda’s purse.
Prosecutor Michael Auty said: “The attack was savage in its nature and sustained.
“His primary motive was robbery and had gone to quite extraordinary lengths in terms of planning and preparation.”
Culea was spotted on CCTV walking back to his car after leaving Freda fatally injured and Ken fighting for his life.
A cap at the house revealed his DNA. He could not deny being there but claimed he did not intend to kill them.
Culea, who worked for a logistics company, was more than £11,000 in debt and had gambled away £280 that day.
The Walkers’ niece Sandra Bunting, speaking outside court, said: “How anybody could inflict that pain and torture I don’t know. Culea had no conscience. All he wanted was money.” He will be sentenced on Friday.