Dexter-Inspired Murders
James Desborough, 'Dexter' Fan, Convicted of Three Brutal Murders Across Cornwall
Anonymous
Key Points
1
Steven Kempster, Desborough's cellmate, was 65 and described as frail; Desborough strangled him in Exeter remand custody, three days after they began sharing a cell, and later claimed Kempster died after falling out of bed. The Home Office pathologist ruled death by compression of the neck, with Desborough having alerted officers at 5:25am.
2
The murders of Aquilino and Coleman involved dismemberment and the concealment of remains in Sticker Woods: 1,900 burned bone fragments from Aquilino were recovered, and parts of Coleman’s body (torso, legs, feet) were found in a nearby shallow grave.
3
Aquilino and Coleman had previously lived with Desborough at a Newquay homeless shelter (Sandy Lodge) and were last seen alive in his company, after which Desborough is said to have spent their money.
4
Desborough’s fixation on the Dexter series was underscored in court, with jurors told he told a forensic biologist he ‘particularly enjoyed the dismemberment scenes’ from the show, alongside references to escalating anger in messages toward Coleman including a claim of being ‘absolutely bloodthirsty.’
5
Desborough’s off-grid lifestyle and the financial manipulation of the victims are cited as context for the killings: he lived in a cabin on land he owned in Paramood/Paramoor Woods near Sticker, Cornwall, and investigators allege he accessed Aquilino’s and Coleman’s bank accounts to create a paper trail showing they were still alive after their deaths.
James Desborough, 40, has been convicted of murdering three men in less than six months — making him a serial killer — in what prosecutors described as a brutal spree across Cornwall and Exeter. Yahoo News reported that he murdered two homeless men, Claudio Aquilino, 57, and Daniel Coleman, 43, before dismembering their bodies and hiding them in woodland near Sticker, Cornwall.
Desborough then killed a third man — his 65-year-old prison cellmate Steven Kempster — while on remand in Exeter awaiting trial for the first two murders. AOL reported that Desborough is a self-described fan of the TV serial killer drama Dexter, and jurors heard he told a forensic biologist he 'particularly enjoyed the dismemberment scenes' from the show.
Bodies Burned and Buried in Cornish Woodland
Aquilino and Coleman had both lived with Desborough at Sandy Lodge, a homeless shelter in Newquay. They were last seen alive in his company. Investigators found 1,900 burned bone fragments from Aquilino's body in Sticker Woods. Parts of Coleman — including his torso, legs, and feet — were recovered from a nearby shallow grave. Head Topics reported that both men were murdered within weeks of each other.
Desborough lived off-grid in a cabin on land he owned in Paramoor Woods near Sticker, Cornwall. Prosecutors alleged he accessed the bank accounts of both victims after killing them. The goal, they said, was to create a paper trail showing the men were still alive. He also spent their money to cover his tracks.
Cellmate Strangled Three Days Into Shared Cell
Desborough was sent to Exeter on remand while awaiting trial for the Cornwall murders. He shared a cell with Steven Kempster, described as a frail 65-year-old. Just three days later, at 5:25am, Desborough alerted prison officers. Kempster was dead. Desborough claimed his cellmate had fallen out of bed. AOL reported that the Home Office pathologist ruled the cause of death was compression of the neck — in other words, strangulation.
Prosecutors told jurors that Desborough had complained Kempster's snoring irritated him. The killing added a third victim to the tally, confirming Desborough's status as a serial killer. Three men died across two locations in under six months.
Dexter Obsession and 'Bloodthirsty' Messages Cited in Court
Jurors heard that Desborough styled himself on Dexter, the fictional TV serial killer who dismembers victims. He told a forensic biologist he 'particularly enjoyed the dismemberment scenes.' Head Topics reported that messages Desborough sent about Coleman included the phrase 'absolutely bloodthirsty,' pointing to escalating rage before the killing.
Prosecutors argued the show did more than entertain Desborough — it may have shaped his methods. The case drew wide media attention because of the link between a popular crime drama and real-world violence. Desborough targeted men he already knew from the homeless shelter, then used their identities and money to try to hide what he had done.
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