Man convicted of raping and murdering estranged wife in Northampton
Six-week trial concludes at Nottingham Crown Court with guilty verdict
Last updated 8th Jul 2026
A 56-year-old man has been found guilty of raping and murdering his estranged wife at their shared home in Northampton last summer.
Michael Thompson was convicted for the crimes against Kimberley Thompson, aged 43, following a six-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court.
Despite being separated for two years, the Thompsons continued to live together at their property on Pinewood Road, with each occupying separate bedrooms.
In the early hours of August 9th last year, Thompson entered Kim’s bedroom, raped her, and suffocated her.
He attempted to stage the room to suggest Kim had died by suicide and proceeded to post messages from her social media accounts before calling East Midlands Ambulance Service at 5:30am.
Thompson initially reported to paramedics and police that Kim had taken her own life.
Friends and family were quick to refute this claim, citing Kim’s plans for the future and her history as a victim of domestic abuse.
Three days later, on August 12th, a formal murder investigation was launched leading to Thompson’s arrest.
Detective Chief Inspector Torie Harrison of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit spearheaded the inquiry into the murder.
She stated: “I hope today provides Kim’s family and friends with some comfort. It became clear throughout our investigation that Kim had been subjected to domestic abuse for much of her relationship with Thompson…”
As well as the charges for rape and murder, Thompson was found guilty of two counts of perverting the course of justice.
DCI Harrison continued: “Not only did Thompson brutally rape and murder Kim, he took the time to stage her death in order to make people believe she had committed suicide before calling for help. I have no doubt these actions caused further upset to Kim’s loved ones…”
During the trial, it was revealed that Kim had sought support from a domestic abuse service in 2013 but withdrew due to fear.
DCI Harrison urged victims of domestic abuse to seek help from specialist officers, other organisations, or by calling 101 for police assistance.
Emergency support is available by dialing 999, while non-police services such as Serenity and Voice Northants offer free, confidential support.