A Croydon man has been convicted of murdering his partner in a ‘frenzied attack‘ after she attempted to end their relationship.
A jury at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, August 1, found 38-year-old David Xavier guilty of the murder of 30-year-old Andreia Patricia Rodriguez Guilherme, after hearing a terrified message that she sent to her family on the night of her death.
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 he is convicted of murder, no set of circumstances could justify what he did.
“Nothing can bring Andreia back, but I hope that Xavier’s conviction brings her family some comfort.”
Xavier was remanded in custody and is due to re-appear at the Old Bailey for sentencing this Friday, August 4.
