Woman Kills, Beheads Friend, Forges Her Will To Obtain Money To Repair Her Home

A woman reportedly forged her friend's will after killing and decapitating her in order to get a "large sum" of money to repair her home in Devon, South West England.

The accused, Jemma Mitchell, 38, from Willesden, north-west London, is accused of murdering Mee Kuen Chong, also known as Deborah, and disposing of her body more than 200 miles (320 km) from London, in Devon, in June 2021, BBC News reported.

Chong was reported missing from her home in Wembley, north London, on June 11, 2021. Days later, on June 27, 2021, her headless body was found by holidaymakers at the bottom of some steps on a public footpath in the woods near the Devon town of Salcombe.

After finding the remains, the woman called the police. The officers responded to the scene, cordoned off the area and an extensive search began. Days later, on July 1, the woman's head was discovered around 10 meters away further down the hill in the undergrowth, the Independent reported.

Due to the extreme degree of decomposition, it was unable to determine the cause of death.

According to investigating officers, the victim's torso appeared to have been cut and there were signs of assault and a skull fracture.

Mitchell reportedly befriended the victim through church and visited her on the day she went missing. Shortly after 1 pm that day, Mitchell was allegedly captured on CCTV walking from Chong’s house carrying two suitcases. Officers believe that one of the suitcases, which was heavier than the other, contained the body of Chong.

Mitchell then reportedly traveled to Salcombe with the suitcase on June 26 in a rented grey Volvo. The vehicle was captured on CCTV driving toward the area where Chong’s body was found the next day.

It is claimed that Chong reportedly agreed to hand over $224,263 (£200,000) to help with Mitchell’s house repairs. However, she later had a change of heart.

During a search of Mitchell's home, a will was found in Chong's name which appointed the defendant as one of the trustees. Apart from some specific gifts to charity, the will purported to leave 95% of the deceased's estate to the defendant.

However, Mitchell, on trial at the Old Bailey, has denied murder.

Prosecutor Deanna Heer said that in this case, the "motive is clear: money".

"A large sum of money was needed to complete the repairs on the defendant's house and, in Mee Kuen Chong, the prosecution says the defendant found someone from whom she thought she could get that money, if not when she was alive… then by forging her will after she had killed her," Heer added.

‘During her degree course, she completed a module called the Structural Basis of Human Function in which she was taught how to dissect the entire human body, with the exception of the head and neck,’ said Heer.

The trial of the gruesome killing continues.