The alleged killer of Stephen and Carol Baxter, a wealthy couple, has confessed to being an IT “nerd” who followed the husband’s orders and created false online identities.
In addition to naming himself as a director of the couple’s bath mat business, Cazsplash Ltd., Luke D’Wit is accused of sneaking a potent prescription painkiller into drinks he prepared for them, killing them.
Ellie, 22, and Mrs. Baxter, who suffered from a thyroid disease, were victims of his scams, and he allegedly used false internet personas to deceive them.
During his testimony today, D’Wit asserted that he had created the contacts and had sent fabricated messages on behalf of Mr. Baxter.
Cheryl, a patient of Dr. Andrea Bowden, was one of these made-up people who intended to communicate with Mrs. Baxter regarding her health. According to testimony presented in court, Dr. Bowden allegedly advised Mrs. Baxter to spend less time with her loved ones. Mr. Baxter came up with another idea to aid Ellie—an online persona named Jenny Trencher, a theatre producer, provided encouragement and a singing contract for the daughter.
The couple’s relationship hit after Mrs. Baxter lost as much as £200,000 to internet con artists in 2019 from investing in a fake trading platform. The state asserts that the accused manipulated relatives by using the aliases.
To “engender sympathy” from the victims and their families, prosecutor Tracy Ayling KC claimed that D’Wit had fabricated a bone cancer diagnosis. He insisted this was not the case, citing gaps in the medical records.
The Baxters’ bodies were discovered at their mansion on Mersea Island, Essex, which was valued at one million pounds, on April 9, 2023. Results showed that fentanyl, a medicine that D’Wit had on hand because his father, Vernon, had used it before his 2021 cancer death, was the lethal dose that killed them. Upon being summoned to the house by Ellie and Mr. Young, who were inconsolable, D’Wit recounted seeing the bodies of the Baxters.
