Dudley man who confessed to murdering partner 28 years after killing her jailed for life
Trevor Dunkley murdered Patricia Lashley at their home in Hall Street in 1998.
Last updated 19 hours ago
A man who admitted to murdering his partner at their home in Dudley almost three decades ago has today been jailed for killing her.
Trevor Dunkley, 66, fatally assaulted Patricia Lashley at the property they shared in Hall Street in September 1998, making what police called a "shock confession" in July this year.
He pleaded guilty to murder and preventing a lawful and decent burial in September and was today (November 6) sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 10 years at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
Prior to Dunkley's admission, Patricia had been considered one of West Midlands Police's longest running missing person cases, with regular appeals having been made about her possible whereabouts ever since.
He had been spoken to by police multiple times in relation to her disappearance, they say while "maintaining the same lie", even telling officers she had abandoned her seven children.
"Cold and calculated"
Detective Inspector Michelle Cordell from West Midlands Police took over the investigation when it shifted from missing person to murder.
When he was arrested, Dunkley simply told the officer: ""I killed her. I'm sorry."
"He's been very clam," said DI Cordell.
"Cold and calculated, I would suggest, in terms of his presentation.
"He would have known in confessing at the time that he did he was going to spend the rest of his life in prison."
Dunkley told officers the pair had met while Patricia was pregnant and living in Dudley, and soon after, she moved into Dunkley's flat.
Dunkley claimed Patricia had been abusive and violent, although this hasn't been corroborated.
On the day of the murder, Dunkley claimed he had returned home after a night shift and had attacked her while she was in bed - saying the "red mist" had descended.
West Midlands Police said he then "launched a violent physical assault with his fists" which killed the then 33-year-old.
Dunkley later covered Patricia's body with bedding and took her down to the cellar, where her body lay for around a year before he disposed of her remains in household waste over several weeks.
Officers said it's unlikely Patricia's remains will ever be found.
After the murder, Dunkley, who was 38 at the time, told detectives he took Patricia's child to Social Services, telling them she had left him and abandoned her baby, as well as her six other children.
"The events of that day are largely dictated by what Trevor Dunkley chose to tell the investigation"
DI Cordell said: "I am pleased that so long on, we have been able to provide some answers as to exactly what happened, albeit, we have to also acknowledge that the events of that day are largely dictated by what Trevor Dunkley chose to tell the investigation."
Investigators are glad to finally have some answers, for no one else more so than Patricia's family and children.
"Tragically, it provides them with an explanation as to why she wasn't present in their lives of, certainly her children as they were growing up," DO Cordell added.
"It corrects Trevor Dunkley's narrative that he maintained for so many years that suggested she had abandoned her children when in fact he knew exactly what he'd done."
She continued: "My thoughts will always remain with Patricia's family.
"They've got a very difficult task ahead in terms of trying to rebuild their lives with the information they now know, and I hope they can move forward and find happiness."
The force has called it a "truly harrowing case" and said there is "no justification" for what Dunkley did.
He told detectives he confessed beacuse he "thought police were onto him".
DI Cordell said: "I think ultimately, only Trevor Dunkley knows the reasons why he chose to come forward at this point in his life.
"He has lived with this secret for decades."