Notorious murderer and serial sex attacker Derek Brown has died behind bars aged 64. Brown was serving a life sentence with a minimum 30-year term at HMP Wakefield.
Convicted for Two Murders, Bodies Never Found
Brown was convicted in October 2008 for the murders of 29-year-old DVD seller Xiao Mei Guo and 24-year-old sex worker Bonnie Barrett, both of whom vanished in 2007. Though he denied killing them, Brown admitted paying both women for sex before their disappearances.
Police found blood traces matching the victims in Brown’s Rotherhithe flat, along with a receipt for a bow saw, heavy-duty gloves, rubble sacks, and cleaning supplies—evidence suggesting grisly attempts to dispose of the bodies.
Judge Condemns Brown’s Lack of Remorse
At sentencing, Judge Martin Stephens blasted Brown for showing “not a sliver of remorse.” He said: “You murdered two women. Both were vulnerable, plying their trade on the streets… You disposed of their bodies with frightening efficiency so that not a trace of either woman has been found.”
The judge added that only Brown knows where the remains are, prolonging the agony for the victims’ families who have been denied closure.
Prison Service Confirms Death
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Derek Brown died in hospital on 29 September while serving a sentence at HMP Wakefield. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
The chilling case remains unresolved as the bodies of Xiao Mei Guo and Bonnie Barrett have never been recovered.
