A man has been convicted of the murder of a pregnant woman and the manslaughter of her baby son.
Aaron McKenzie, 26, (10.6.94) of Peckham Park Road, SE15 appeared at the Old Bailey on Monday, 29 June to be tried for the murder of Kelly-Mary Fauvrelle, the manslaughter of her baby son and possession of an offensive weapon. On Friday, 10 July he was convicted by the jury of all counts.
McKenzie will be sentenced at the same court on Friday, 17 July.
Police were called by London Ambulance Service (LAS) at 03:30hrs on Saturday, 29 June 2019, to reports of an injured pregnant woman at a residential address at Raymead Avenue, Thornton Heath.
At the scene, Kelly, who was eight months pregnant, was found suffering from 21 stab wounds. Paramedics from LAS and London’s Air Ambulance fought hard to save her, but despite their efforts, she sadly died at the scene.
Her baby boy, who her family named Riley, was delivered by medics at the scene before being taken to hospital. Sadly, he died just days later at 03:10hrs on Wednesday, 3 July 2019.
Kelly was murdered in her ground floor bedroom at the family home as her family slept upstairs. Hearing Kelly’s screams, her sister had come downstairs to find Kelly dying, in her bedroom, where the cot was set up ready for the arrival of her baby.
Kelly’s family did not see the suspect come and go from the property and there was no sight of forced entry. However, police believe that entry was made via the property’s ground floor patio doors.
Detectives recovered CCTV footage which showed a man, now believed to be McKenzie, in Raymead Avenue, Thornton Heath both before and after the attack. This showed him walking towards the murder scene at 03.15hrs and running in the opposite direction around ten minutes later.
Kelly had previously been in a relationship with McKenzie, which had broken down some months before the murder.
In the days immediately following the murder, McKenzie played the part of a victim, telling police he had nothing to do with the attack, and even attending the hospital where medical staff were fighting to save baby Reilly’s life.
He joined Kelly’s family as they mourned her loss and police continued, for a time, to treat him as a witness.
As the investigation progressed McKenzie became a suspect and was arrested on 11 July 2019. He later admitted, via his solicitor, to being responsible for the deaths saying: “No one else was involved in this. There was no reason for it other than my faults”.
He was charged with murder, manslaughter and possession of an offensive weapon on Monday, 15 July 2019 and following a range of psychiatric examinations, despite his previous admissions, he pleaded not guilty to all charges.
McKenzie claimed that when he admitted the offences he was under pressure. He also provided the first name of another man who he claimed was responsible for the murder.
Despite extensive enquiries, no evidence was discovered to corroborate this new account, or to indicate that the ‘new suspect’ partially named by McKenzie existed.
Detective Chief Inspector Mick Norman of the Met’s Specialist Crime Command said:
“This case has been nothing short of heart-breaking for Kelly’s family and for the officers who have become close to them.
“The agonising loss of such a young woman and her child at a time when they were eagerly awaiting Riley’s birth and looking forward to a happy future is beyond imagining.
“Despite the evidence against him, McKenzie has subjected Kelly and Riley’s family to the trauma of a trial.
“The theft of Kelly and Riley’s happy futures is something that will haunt those who loved her forever and I sincerely hope that Aaron McKenzie is similarly affected as he faces his future incarcerated.”
