Chilling message from husband who killed wife
WIFE KILLER’S CHILLING LETTER TO EX FROM HIS PRISON CELL
A MURDERER sent his former partner a letter from jail after strangling his wife in a row over a bag of frozen chips, writing: “I put her to sleep.”
Thomas McCann dismembered wife Yvonne before disposing of her body parts at a tip and a country park following a row at their home in Brinnington, Stockport.
He was handed life sentence last week.
While awaiting to appear in court, he wrote to ex-partner Veronica Campbell, saying: “I need a friend right now.”
She told the M.E.N.’s sister title, the Sunday People, the rambling note last June went on: “I put my Yvonne to sleep back in May. I was struggling to let go of whatever feelings I had for her.”
McCann claimed that he murdered Yvonne, who had a new partner, because she ‘kept rubbing her boyfriend’s name in my face.’
Then he asked Veronica, 40, if she had found a ‘real man.’
Veronica said she was ‘floored’ at receiving the letter, in which delivery driver McCann also wrote: “I know I had plenty of opportunity to walk away, but I guess it’s too late for what could have or should have been. Anyway, how are you?”
The mum-of-three, who works as a DJ, said: “The man I knew was sweet, quiet and romantic, bringing flowers when we met.
“What he did to Yvonne was calculating and horrendous. I’d heard police found body parts and on learning the victim was Thomas’ wife and he’d been arrested I was stunned.”
She told of dating McCann for three months in 2019 and being spun a ‘sob story of nagging and bullying’ by his ‘estranged’ wife.
Veronica, from Marple, said she dumped him when she realised he still loved Yvonne, who phoned to arrange a meeting a fortnight later at her home.
“I was surprised to hear from her,” she said. “But she told me they were together all the time he was with me, so I wanted to do the decent thing and I agreed to see her at her house.
“She made me a sandwich and a brew.
“We waited to confront him and she told me to hide in case he saw me and fled in his van.
“He walked in and she asked him ‘is it her or me?.’ They had a huge row and I told them ‘stay together, break up or get therapy’ and walked out.”
McCann, who pleaded guilty, murdered Yvonne after a row over a £3 bag of frozen chips she forgot to freeze, Manchester Crown Court was told.
In his confession to police he said he was ‘Hannibal Lecter,’ adding:
“I killed my wife and disposed of her like garbage.”
Veronica said she feels ‘desperately sorry’ for the children.
Parts of Yvonne’s body were found by dog walkers days at nearby Reddish Vale Country Park.
Following her death, McCann used Yvonne’s mobile phone to message family and friends, creating the illusion she was still alive. It wasn’t until one of their children discovered their mum’s phone and rings in his jacket pocket after a family BBQ that suspicions were raised over her disappearance. Once the grim discovery was made, McCann was arrested. He has now been jailed for life, with a minimum sentence of 13 years and four months, less time served in custody - meaning a term of 12 years and 182 days.
The man I knew was sweet, quiet and romantic, bringing flowers when we met Veronica Campbell