Guilty of murder and arson with intent to endanger life – that’s the conviction handed down to 50-year-old Thomas Peter (pictured) at the Old Bailey yesterday for killing his wife Karen after taking out life insurance.
The murder took place in August 2018 at the couple’s house, where their daughters were asleep at the time, in Romford. A release by the Metropolitan Police said Karen was strangled to death before her husband, who was described as abusive, burnt her remains.
Exactly a month before the killing, the now convicted murderer took out life insurance for the couple with a policy that would have seen him compensated an amount of £310,000 in the event of his wife’s death.
“Peter is an evil man and I am delighted he has been convicted and will face the consequences of his heinous crime,” commented Detective Sergeant Perry Benton, the investigating officer from the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command.
“This was a vicious and merciless murder carried out by Peter in the family home while his three daughters slept in nearby rooms.”
The sisters are now aged 14, 20, and 22.
Benton added: “He then callously set fire to her body and the house in a bid to destroy evidence, also putting his daughters’ lives at risk.”
Peter’s sentencing will be on February 11.
