Killer Put Friend's Chopped-Up Remains In Canal
A man who killed his former friend and cut up the remains before stuffing them in suitcases and dumping them in a canal has been convicted of the "vicious" murder.
Father-of-three Michael Spalding was thought to have been killed by a single stab wound to the neck in an attack by Lorenzo Simon.
The 34-year-old used knives, a saw and possibly an axe to chop up his victim's body parts, before putting them into two suitcases.
With the help of his girlfriend, 35-year-old Michelle Bird, he then dragged them to a canal in Smethwick.
The crime, which West Midlands police called "despicable", only came to light when one of the cases floated to the surface, buoyed by gases released by the decomposing remains, despite being weighed down with slabs.
Police divers then discovered another suitcase containing the second set of remains, including the victim's head and some tools, submerged under a canal bridge.
Detectives using 3D scanning technology matched the body parts to a bone found in an oil drum burner recovered from the back garden of Simon's flat in Smethwick.
The attack, which took place at the property, came after the two fell out over home repairs.
Police said Simon had taken on long-term friend and 39-year-old handyman Mr Spalding as a tenant at his flat, because he wanted it done up.
Mr Spalding - known as Spud - initially thought by doing a good job on the flat, he would earn his own tenancy but his friend "treated him like slave", and when the handyman complained the two fell out.
There had previously been bad blood between the pair over a car accident which ended up with Simon's VW Passat being damaged - something he blamed Mr Spalding for.
Detective Inspector Harry Harrison said: "Michael was exploited in life by Lorenzo Simon and Michelle Bird and they afforded him no dignity in death. On the contrary, they treated him in the most despicable manner in order to conceal their crime."
Simon, who initially denied anything to do with the killing, later told police he had assaulted his friend in the flat then disposed of the body in a panic in April last year.
However, Mr Harrison said: "We were able to provide compelling evidence to the jury that this was a vicious murder and that Simon went to considerable lengths to try and cover his tracks."
Bird had already admitted assisting an offender before her boyfriend's conviction after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court. She and Simon will be sentenced at the crown court next week.
