A chilling video captured the moment a man walked into a police station and confessed to Sussex Police, stating “I killed two people” following the alleged murder of his stepdaughter and her husband. Derek Martin, 67, from Brighton, is accused of murdering Chloe, 30, and Josh Bashford, 33, at their residence in Newhaven, East Sussex. The court has been informed that there is no dispute regarding Martin’s involvement in the killings, although he claims diminished responsibility due to an abnormality of mental functioning during the incident.
The tragic events unfolded after a monetary dispute arose between Martin and Chloe, where Martin insisted on her repaying a debt. Disturbing footage exhibited to jurors captures the moment Martin entered the police station and confessed to the double homicide. He mentioned suffering from anxiety and depression when questioned about his mental health and admitted to using a knife in the attacks.
The court heard that Martin brutally murdered Chloe with a hammer and knife before fatally attacking Josh upon his return home from work. Following the gruesome acts, Martin cleaned the crime scene, changed clothes, and took the couple’s children – whom he referred to as “granddad” – to a coffee shop. Subsequently, he drove the children to the home of his ex-wife, Elaine Sturges, where he referred to as the children’s grandmother.
In a message to Sturges, Martin expressed remorse for his actions and his struggles with debt and feeling used by others. During a police interview, Martin confessed to the killings, attributing his actions to a heated argument over money. He recounted a confrontation with Chloe that escalated into violence, leading to the tragic events. The trial is ongoing, shedding light on the devastating consequences of the altercation that resulted in the loss of two lives.