A man who fatally attacked his stepdaughter with a hammer and then stabbed her and her husband to death before picking up their children from school has been found guilty of the double homicide. Derek Martin, now facing a life sentence, confessed to the brutal killings which stemmed from a heated argument over money.
Martin, in a fit of rage, repeatedly struck Chloe Bashford with a hammer, causing her death, and then proceeded to stab the 30-year-old mother multiple times with a kitchen knife. He waited for Chloe’s husband, Josh, to return home during lunchtime, then pursued and killed him by stabbing and strangling him.
After the gruesome acts, Martin calmly gathered the couple’s four children from school, treated them to a meal at McDonald’s, dropped them off at their grandmother’s house, and surrendered himself to the authorities. Despite his admission of the killings, Martin claimed he was suffering from a severe mental disorder at the time and denied the charges.
Following a jury’s decision after five and a half hours of deliberation at Brighton Law Courts, Martin was convicted of both murders. The families of the victims reacted with shock as the verdict was announced. Martin, showing no emotion, is set to be sentenced in November.
The court learned that Martin had a previous connection to the family through his previous marriage to Chloe’s mother. Despite a criminal past, he had reconnected with the family and had been assisting with household tasks. An argument erupted between Martin and Chloe over money owed, leading to the fatal outburst.
The tragic events unfolded as Martin dropped off two of the children at school and then had breakfast with Chloe before the argument ensued. The altercation escalated, resulting in the fatal attacks on Chloe and Josh. Martin then picked up the children, treated them to a meal, and took them to their grandmother’s house before turning himself in.
In the months leading up to the incident, Martin had reportedly stopped taking his medication for depression and had been sleep-deprived. While he admitted to the killings, he attributed his actions to a psychiatric condition at the time.