Killer Who Hid Mother-of-Seven’s Body in Cellar Before Dumping Her Remains in Trash Is Jailed for Life

A man who murdered a mother of seven nearly three decades ago, concealed her body in a cellar and later disposed of her remains in household rubbish has been sentenced to life in prison. Trevor Dunkley, now 66, finally confessed to killing Patricia Lashley, 33, after keeping the truth hidden for 28 years. His admission brought an end to a missing-person investigation that had left Patricia’s family without answers since 1998.

Patricia was last seen near the flat she shared with Dunkley on Hall Street in Dudley, West Midlands, in September 1998. The pair had met while Patricia was pregnant, and she later moved into his home. Dunkley told investigators that he returned from a night shift one evening and attacked her while she was lying in bed. He described a sudden loss of control, saying the “red mist” had descended before he repeatedly struck her with his fists. He later realized she had died.

Rather than report what had happened, Dunkley covered Patricia’s body with bedding and moved it into the cellar beneath the property, where it remained for around a year. As the remains decomposed, he eventually disposed of the bones in household waste over several separate collections. Investigators believe the remains are unlikely ever to be recovered. In the aftermath of the killing, Dunkley also took Patricia’s young child to social services and falsely claimed that she had left him and abandoned the baby. The child was subsequently placed in care and adopted.

For years, police treated Patricia’s disappearance as a missing-person case. Her sister reported her missing in June 1999, and investigators repeatedly appealed for information, examined records and tried to establish whether she had moved elsewhere. The breakthrough came in July 2026, when officers from West Midlands Police visited Dunkley as part of a renewed investigation. During the conversation, he unexpectedly admitted what he had done, telling an officer: “I killed her. I’m sorry.” He reportedly explained that he had decided to confess because he believed police were closing in on him.

Dunkley pleaded guilty to murder and preventing a lawful and decent burial at Wolverhampton Crown Court in September 2026. On November 6, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 10 years and 10 months before he can be considered for parole. Four of Patricia’s children attended the sentencing hearing. The judge acknowledged Dunkley’s guilty plea but emphasized that the long delay in bringing the case to justice was the result of the lies he had maintained for decades.

Detective Inspector Michelle Cordell, who led the investigation, said Dunkley had known the truth all along while Patricia’s loved ones spent years hoping she might still be alive. She said his actions had deprived the family of the opportunity to recover her remains and give her a proper funeral. Although the conviction has finally answered the question of who was responsible for Patricia’s disappearance, her family may never be able to lay her to rest.

Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/40946727/killer-confesses-body-bin-murder/