Derek Martin, 67, committed a horrific crime by brutally attacking his stepdaughter, Chloe Bashford, 30, with a hammer and then stabbing her eight times. This tragic incident took place in Chloe’s home in Newhaven, East Sussex. Martin then waited for Chloe’s husband, Josh, 33, to return home at lunchtime, where he proceeded to stab him four times and strangle him to death with a belt.
Following a heated argument over money, Martin confessed to “flipping” and committing the gruesome acts. He tried to clean up the crime scene before calmly taking Chloe and Josh’s four children from school, treating them to a meal at McDonald’s, dropping them off at their grandmother’s house, and surrendering to the authorities.
Martin, from Moulsecoomb, Brighton, initially denied murder but eventually admitted to killing the couple. He claimed he was suffering from a psychiatric condition at the time of the incident. After more than two years, he was found guilty of both murders and was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 29 years.
Before the tragic events, Martin had rekindled a close relationship with Chloe’s family, often assisting with household chores and providing financial help. An argument over money owed led to the deadly altercation on June 9, resulting in the loss of two lives.
In the aftermath of the killings, Martin attempted to conceal his actions from the children, going as far as changing clothes, hiding phones, and taking the children to various places before confessing his crimes to the police. The court heard that Martin had a history of depression and sleep deprivation leading up to the incident.
The devastating impact of these murders was felt deeply by the victims’ family, with Elaine Sturges, Chloe’s mother, expressing the profound loss and the challenges of raising the children left behind. Statements from the couple’s eldest son highlighted the ongoing pain and trauma experienced by the family, emphasizing the irreparable damage caused by Martin’s actions.
