A man who brutally murdered a vulnerable young man before dismembering his body and transporting it to a park in a suitcase has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Dajour Jones, 27, befriended 20-year-old Jamie Gilbey whilst both resided at a supported housing accommodation in January 2022.
Within a week of moving into the facility, Jones violently attacked Mr. Gilbey, repeatedly stabbing him and subjecting him to multiple blunt force injuries.
CCTV footage proved that Jones and Mr. Gilbey were in Jones’ room together during the early evening of 27 January 2022.
Jones went on to viciously murder Mr. Gilbey in his room, before dismembering his body.
Over the next few days, he made several trips to South Norwood Country Park.
Jones used a large purple suitcase to dispose of body parts wrapped in bin bags in thick undergrowth.
He then dumped the suitcase, containing items of Jamie’s clothing, his own clothing, and heavily blood-stained bedding, in Love Lane Green, South Norwood.
Jones returned to his room and undertook a thorough clean-up operation in an attempt to conceal the horrific nature of his crime.
Officers discovered the suitcase on a routine patrol, and found the blood-stained clothing, which forensic testing revealed to belong to Jamie and Jones.
When hostel staff reported Jamie missing, local police carried out various enquiries. After they were unable to find any proof that he was alive the case was passed to a murder investigation team.
Jones was arrested on 3 March – before Jamie’s body was discovered. He refused to tell officers what had happened to Jamie or what he had done with the body.
When he was charged a couple of days later his response was: “Ah. Cool”.
When the police searched Jones’ room, they found multiple bottles of bleach and cleaning fluids, some of which had been hidden behind a sink with three antiperspirant sprays that were presumably used to hide any smell.
After a two month-trial at the Old Bailey, the jury unanimously found Jones guilty of murder.
Catherine Gould, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Jamie Gilbey was a vulnerable, unimposing and defenceless young man who suffered a sustained and disturbing attack at the hands of Dajour Jones.
“Jones said that he had acted in self-defence, claiming that he hit Mr. Gilbey with a broom after the victim had confronted him with a knife and stole his phone – but the reality was that Mr. Gilbey was the innocent victim of a very dangerous man who had planned to kill him for reasons only he knew.
“Extensive analysis of CCTV evidence proved that Mr. Gilbey did not come out of Jones’ room alive, and coupled with key witness evidence and forensic analysis, the CPS proved that Dajour Jones was guilty.
“Our thoughts remain with Jamie and his family today, and we hope that today’s outcome will provide a sense of justice for this barbaric crime.”
