A man convicted of murdering his partner in a ‘frenzied attack’ was told today (Friday, August 4) that he must serve at least eighteen years behind bars.
An Old Bailey judge handed out the life sentence and said David Xavier must serve a minimum of eighteen years before being eligible to apply for parole.
The sentence came after the jury heard that the 38-year-old stabbed his partner Andreia Patricia Rodriguez Guilherme more than 50 times in frenzied attack in Croydon in December 2020.
During the trial the jury heard a terrified message that she sent to her family on the night of her death.
On Tuesday, August 1, the unanimous jury found him guilty of murdering his 30-year-old partner.
Police were called to the couple’s address in Canning Road, Croydon on December 11, 2020.
Andreia was found with knife injuries and was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
A post-mortem examination held at Croydon Mortuary the following day gave cause of death as multiple stab wounds.
Xavier was taken to hospital for treatment to stab injuries and was arrested on suspicion of murder. He was discharged from hospital on February 9, 2021 and the next day charged with murder.
Xavier had been in a relationship with Andreia. They were both Portuguese, originally from Madeira, but had only met and formed a relationship in the UK.
The court heard that by July 2020 their relationship was deteriorating, and in December that year Andreia was taking steps to end the relationship, in response to which, Xavier became increasingly jealous and angry – even trying to stop her from seeing her family.
On the night of Friday, December 11, Andreia sent recordings of an argument she was having with Xavier to a relative. The recordings, which were later recovered from Andreia’s mobile phone, showed a heated argument with the defendant and Andreia trading insults.
Later that same evening Andreia texted a relative saying ‘he picked up a knife’.
A text to another female relative said: ‘David is crazy – pointed a knife at me’.
The court was told that her last communication was a recording of events which appeared to have happened immediately before the murder. In the clip Andreia was crying and asking the defendant to leave the flat.
It is shortly after that clip was captured that Xavier is believed to have stabbed Andreia more than 50 times with a kitchen knife. The knife was later recovered at the address.
The court heard that two minutes or so after the stabbing, Xavier called a member of his family telling them that Andreia was dead. They rushed to the address and found Xavier still holding the knife and Andreia on the floor of the bedroom, covered in blood.
An ambulance was called immediately, but despite medics fighting to save Andreia, she sadly died at the scene.
Detective Chief Inspector Matt Webb, who led the investigation said: “This was a horrific, frenzied attack against a woman who didn’t stand a chance. Xavier was armed with a knife and clearly enraged.
“Andreia’s family has lived through the horror of receiving those final messages on the night of her death, and, due to Xavier pleading not guilty, they were forced to relive that night again at the trial.
“It is right that Xavier will spend a large part of his life behind bars and while nothing can bring Andreia back, but I sincerely hope that the sentence handed down, brings her loved ones a measure of comfort.”
