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Husband murdered wife's RAF lover | Husband murdered wife's RAF lover |
(about 4 hours later) | |
A jilted husband has been jailed for life for murder after following his wife to England to kill her RAF lover. | A jilted husband has been jailed for life for murder after following his wife to England to kill her RAF lover. |
Francesco Matta, from Sardinia, travelled to Devon where his wife Susan was living with a former sweetheart whom she met through Friends Reunited. | Francesco Matta, from Sardinia, travelled to Devon where his wife Susan was living with a former sweetheart whom she met through Friends Reunited. |
Matta then stabbed his rival, Flt Lt Stephen Keen, 54, four times in the neck in front of Mrs Matta. | Matta then stabbed his rival, Flt Lt Stephen Keen, 54, four times in the neck in front of Mrs Matta. |
The 56-year-old will serve at least 13 years and six months for the murder in Tiverton in July 2006. | The 56-year-old will serve at least 13 years and six months for the murder in Tiverton in July 2006. |
Mr Keen and Mrs Matta had got back together 30 years after their teenage romance ended, Exeter Crown Court heard. | Mr Keen and Mrs Matta had got back together 30 years after their teenage romance ended, Exeter Crown Court heard. |
Matta travelled to the UK and turned up at the Tiverton home which his wife and Mr Keen had moved into a few days before. | Matta travelled to the UK and turned up at the Tiverton home which his wife and Mr Keen had moved into a few days before. |
'Slaughter chamber' | 'Slaughter chamber' |
He then stabbed Mr Keen four times in the neck and throat in front of Mrs Matta. | He then stabbed Mr Keen four times in the neck and throat in front of Mrs Matta. |
Mr Keen, who suffered over a dozen defence wounds to his hands, bled to death in the arms of Mrs Matta. | Mr Keen, who suffered over a dozen defence wounds to his hands, bled to death in the arms of Mrs Matta. |
She told the court the room looked like a "slaughter chamber" after the killing. | She told the court the room looked like a "slaughter chamber" after the killing. |
Mr Keen had been her first boyfriend when she was a 14-year-old grammar school girl and he was a 17-year-old sixth former. They split up and lost contact two years later. | Mr Keen had been her first boyfriend when she was a 14-year-old grammar school girl and he was a 17-year-old sixth former. They split up and lost contact two years later. |
Sweetheart reunion ends in murder | Sweetheart reunion ends in murder |
Their love blossomed again after they met through the Friends Reunited website and Susan ditched Matta while Mr Keen left his wife Doreen after 33 years of marriage. | Their love blossomed again after they met through the Friends Reunited website and Susan ditched Matta while Mr Keen left his wife Doreen after 33 years of marriage. |
The couple agreed to live together without even meeting and they returned to live in Tiverton where they had been at school together in the late 1960s. | The couple agreed to live together without even meeting and they returned to live in Tiverton where they had been at school together in the late 1960s. |
Former Savoy Hotel chef Matta assembled a killing kit during his journey across Europe. | Former Savoy Hotel chef Matta assembled a killing kit during his journey across Europe. |
He bought a four-inch knife, pickaxe handle, dark clothes and hat, tape, rope and a can of petrol before lying in wait in a van outside the home where Mr Keen and Mrs Matta had lived together for just eight days. | He bought a four-inch knife, pickaxe handle, dark clothes and hat, tape, rope and a can of petrol before lying in wait in a van outside the home where Mr Keen and Mrs Matta had lived together for just eight days. |
He went to the door and was invited in but stabbed Mr Keen to death when he was asked to leave. | He went to the door and was invited in but stabbed Mr Keen to death when he was asked to leave. |
He had just told Mr Keen: "You are supposed to be an officer and a gentleman but you have broken up two marriages." | He had just told Mr Keen: "You are supposed to be an officer and a gentleman but you have broken up two marriages." |
As he stabbed Mr Keen, he told Susan: "My life is over. Now you will suffer as I am suffering." | As he stabbed Mr Keen, he told Susan: "My life is over. Now you will suffer as I am suffering." |
Matta, who was working as a postman in Sardinia at the time of the killing, denied murder but was convicted after a retrial. | Matta, who was working as a postman in Sardinia at the time of the killing, denied murder but was convicted after a retrial. |
Matta lay in wait outside the murder scene in Tiverton | Matta lay in wait outside the murder scene in Tiverton |
He had admitted manslaughter, claiming he acted by reason of diminished responsibility due to depression. | He had admitted manslaughter, claiming he acted by reason of diminished responsibility due to depression. |
But prosecutor Martin Meeke QC said when police arrived a calm Matta told them: "I came here to kill the man. I have done what I needed to do. I have done my job." | But prosecutor Martin Meeke QC said when police arrived a calm Matta told them: "I came here to kill the man. I have done what I needed to do. I have done my job." |
He also said to the police it was an "honour killing" and "that is what I am, an executioner". | He also said to the police it was an "honour killing" and "that is what I am, an executioner". |
Mr Justice Jackson told Matta: "I am satisfied when you attacked Stephen Keen it was your intention to kill him." | |
He said it was an "aggravating feature" that he planned to kill Stephen Keen before he left Sardinia and "there is ample evidence that was your plan". | He said it was an "aggravating feature" that he planned to kill Stephen Keen before he left Sardinia and "there is ample evidence that was your plan". |
The victim's wife, Doreen Keen, said in a statement after the case that she and her family were "devastated by the tragic death of a much loved husband, son, brother and uncle". | The victim's wife, Doreen Keen, said in a statement after the case that she and her family were "devastated by the tragic death of a much loved husband, son, brother and uncle". |
She said the family felt there was "no justification for such an appalling crime". | She said the family felt there was "no justification for such an appalling crime". |