Four deaths at homeless shelter linked to serial killer to be reviewed

The unexplained deaths of four people who were living at a homeless shelter in Cornwall at the same time as triple killer James Desborough are being reviewed, police have said.

On Tuesday the 40-year-old was found guilty of murdering two men - Claudio Aquilino, 57, and Daniel Coleman, 43 - who he met while staying at Sandy Lodge in Newquay.

Earlier this year he was also sentenced for murdering his cellmate in Exeter Prison while on remand for the murder charges.

Det Supt Rachael Bentley, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said officers were looking at the unexpected deaths of two men and two women at the homeless shelter between December 2024 and April 2025.

Desborough's sentencing hearing for the murders of Aquilino and Coleman is under way at Winchester Crown Court.

He was previously told to "be alive" to the prospect of a whole life sentence.

Speaking about the review of the four unexplained deaths, Bentley said: "As a major crime investigation team we were informed by the coroner's officer for His Majesty's Coroner that there were four deaths at Sandy Lodge.

"As part of the investigation, a detective inspector, separate to the investigation but within major crime, did a review of those deaths, and that included commissioning some more forensic work, some CCTV, and statements."

Inquiries were ongoing and Desborough was "not a suspect at this time", Bentley said.

"We don't believe there is a link at this time, but I said it's an ongoing investigation," she said

She said police attended each of the deaths at Sandy Lodge and inquiries suggested natural causes but coronial investigations were paused when Desborough was arrested for murder.

On Tuesday, Desborough, of Old Oak Woods, Lower Sticker, Cornwall, was found guilty of murdering Claudio Aquilino, 57, and Daniel Coleman, 43.

A jury at Winchester Crown Court heard he dismembered his victims' bodies, tried to burn their remains and hid them in woodland in Sticker where he owned a cabin.

He is due to be sentenced on Wednesday and was told he should "be alive" to the prospect of a whole life sentence.

Closing the case to the jury, Ahmed Hossain KC, said Desborough was capable of switching to "very serious violence".

Bentley described the killings as "callous and cold-blooded", as "both men were vulnerable and trusted James Desborough as their friend" before he brutally murdered them and "savagely desecrated their bodies".

While on remand he was also convicted of murdering his cellmate Steven Kempster at HMP Exeter after a trial in March.

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