Man watched as millionaire couple died from poisoning on app, court hears

15 February 2024 , 17:28

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Luke D'Wit providing a statement to police following the deaths of Stephen and Carol Baxter (Image: PA)

A man watched on his phone as a married millionaire couple died from poisoning, a court heard today

Luke D’Wit is accused of using an app on his phone to watch Stephen and Carol Baxter die after he allegedly poisoned them with an opioid painkiller. The 34-year-old also rewrote their will the day after they were found dead at their home in Mersea Island, Essex, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

D’Wit worked for the couple and had befriended them but denies murder. Tracy Ayling KC, prosecuting, said Mr Baxter, 61, and his 64-year-old wife were found dead sitting in their individual armchairs in their conservatory on Easter Sunday - April 9 - last year.

She said that on April 10, D'Wit created a will on his phone which made him a director of the couple's shower mat company. Ms Ayling said D'Wit had installed a "mobile security surveillance application" on his phone - this allowed him to monitor a camera from another device.

Ms Ayling said that police who analysed D'Wit's phone found images of Mr and Mrs Baxter "in their armchairs" on the afternoon of April 7 last year, with one timed at 5.14pm. She said that doorbell camera footage captured him walking towards the Baxters' address "looking at a phone" that day.

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"The prosecution case is that he was looking at these images of the Baxters in their conservatory sitting in their armchairs," the prosecutor said. They continued: "The same chairs they were discovered in by (their daughter) Ellie (Baxter) two days later."

Essex Police at the Baxter's House (Essex Police / SWNS)

She said that the couple "did not move at all" after the images were taken. The trial was earlier told that Mrs Baxter had a thyroid condition and a pacemaker. "If she had moved after those... images were taken, the pacemaker would have recorded it," said Ms Ayling. Continuing to address the jury, she said: "Why was Mr D'Wit watching Mr and Mrs Baxter in the conservatory?

"Was he watching them die? Both were already incapacitated. Was this when Mr D'Wit made everything pristine, cleaning up the cups and not leaving any trace?"

A will that the prosecution claim D'Wit created (PA)

She said D'Wit did not leave the Baxters' home until 7.55pm on April 7, when he was captured by a doorbell camera. "He was the last person to see them alive," said Ms Ayling, continuing to open the prosecution's case. "He watched them dying on his phone."

The trial continues, with jurors asked to return at 10.30am on Monday when evidence in the case will begin.

Sam Russell