Christopher May, 50, Sentenced To Life In Prison After Strangling Woman To Death Before Having Sex With Corpse And Dismembering Her Body
Former butcher and father of two Christopher May, 50, of Pontypridd, South Wales, was sentenced to life in prison after strangling 47-year-old Tracey Woodford to death before having sex with her corpse and dismembering her body, according to the Mirror. The pair met on the night of April 21 when staff at a bar called the Skinny Dog refused to serve Woodford alcohol. May then suggested that the two go back to his house to have a few drinks.
Although Woodford agreed to go back to his home, she told him that she was “not that kind of girl” when she realized that he wanted to do more than have a few drinks. As the night went on, May became impatient when his wooing attempts were all in vain. That’s when he “flew into a rage and strangled” her to death before having sex with her corpse.
He later used a saw, stanley knife, and secateurs to chop her body into pieces in his bathtub. Some of her remains were flushed down the toilet and some were kept in his home, but he placed her severed head in a plastic bag and stashed it in a local storm drain.
The bizarre and disturbing history of Pontypridd killer Christopher May https://t.co/1DoubnSxB6 pic.twitter.com/CJBYKBykeU
— Ponty Observer (@pontyobserver) November 21, 2015
When Woodford’s mother and brother didn’t hear back from her, they reported her missing to the police saying that it was abnormal for her to go missing for several hours, even days without calling. An investigation was launched following their report, and just four days later, police officials were led to May’s house, where Sgt. Stuart Williams said it reeked of “gone off meat.” When they searched the home, they discovered human body parts in May’s bathtub.
“I thought I was watching a horror movie,” said officer Con Gardener. “”I’ve been in the police force 11 years. I’ve never had to deal with anything like this before.”
Police officials discovered Woodford’s dissected rib cage in an Adidas sports bag and her fingers were found in a handbag. According to the Daily Mail, Woodford’s torso was found in a cupboard and her severed head was later found at a nearby storm drain. When questioned by police, May claimed that he murdered Woodford in self-defense after she attacked him. He said he caught her stealing money from him in his home and when he confronted her, she pounced on him. However, twelve jurors believed otherwise when they found him guilty of murdering and dismembering Tracey Woodford.
Family’s pain over ‘graphic details’ of how sister Tracey Woodford died at hands of killer https://t.co/noHS9OSNkA pic.twitter.com/6YHLJYo42r
— WalesOnline (@WalesOnline) November 18, 2015
After learning of Woodford’s brutal death, Woodford’s family said in a statement that “Tracey was a very kind, caring and loving person who did not have a bad bone in her body. She was a devoted daughter to our mother Linda, a wonderful sister and a great auntie. The thoughts and visions of what he did to Tracey have haunted us for the past seven months.”
“Our mother has nightmares most nights, waking up and screaming Tracey’s name. Having to sit in court a few feet away from him and listen to all the graphic details of what he did to her body and how he disposed of certain parts was almost too painful to listen to.”
“People say time is a great healer; we can honestly say no amount of time will ever heal our pain or fill the hole that this monster has left in our family.”
Prosecutor Roger Thomas said that “This was a deliberate, brutal, vicious, and sexually-motivated murder. The circumstances surrounding her death are harrowing and disturbing. After her death she was mutilated and dismembered. Those actions were carried out deliberately and methodically with the clear intention of concealing what had happened.”
In Cardiff Crown Court, Christopher May was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term sentence of 28 years.
[Image via Shutterstock]
