Man jailed for life for 1998 murder of partner in Dudley

Summarised from 3 outlets · 11 reports · Updated 6 Nov, 17:48 · Archive

Trevor Dunkley, 66, has been jailed for life after confessing to beating his partner Patricia Lashley, a mother-of-seven, to death in September 1998. The killing occurred at their shared home on Hall Street in Dudley. Dunkley confessed to the murder this year when police approached him as part of a missing person inquiry, believing they were 'onto him'. He told officers: 'I killed her. I'm sorry.'

Dunkley claimed he had returned home after a night shift and attacked Patricia while she was in bed. He told police the 'red mist' had descended and that he used his fists, which had chunky rings that 'did most of the damage', to beat her. He claimed she had been abusive and violent, though police said this has not been corroborated. After the murder, Dunkley calmly took Patricia's nine-month-old baby boy to Social Services, claiming she had abandoned the child and disappeared.

Dunkley then lied about the circumstances for nearly three decades. He told Social Services that he had found the baby alone and asleep in the flat after returning home from his night shift. He maintained he had not seen Patricia and did not report her missing at the time. Prosecutor Robert Price told Wolverhampton Crown Court that Dunkley resumed his normal routine of going to work despite numerous missing person appeals for more than 27 years.

After his confession, police searched the cellar of his former home on Hall Street. Dunkley had kept Patricia's body in the cellar, covered with bedding, before disposing of her remains in household waste over several weeks. The cellar had been renovated several times since Dunkley moved out, requiring specialist search teams to dig through the current floor to reach the original space below.

How it is being reported

• Child of Dudley murder victim 'grew up thinking he'd been abandoned' as killer kept his secret for 28 yearsTrevor Dunkley made a shock admission to the murder of Patricia Lashley on July 7 this yearExpress & Star · 6 Nov, 18:38
• Watch: Self-confessed killer arrested 28 years after Dudley woman's murderTrevor Dunkley confessed because he thought police were “onto him”Express & Star · 6 Nov, 17:32
• Watch: Self-confessed killer arrested 28 years after Dudley woman's murderTrevor Dunkley confessed because he thought police were “onto him”Birmingham World · 6 Nov, 17:32
• Dudley man murdered mum-of-seven then handed her baby to social servicesTrevor Dunkley has been jailed after the murder of a mum-of-seven in September 1998BirminghamLive · 6 Nov, 17:23
• Self-confessed killer who got away with murder for nearly 30 years was a familiar face in Dudley town centreTrevor Dunkley was jailed today for lifeBirmingham World · 6 Nov, 16:42
• Watch: Self-confessed killer arrested 30 years after Dudley woman's murderTrevor Dunkley confessed because he thought police were “onto him”Birmingham World · 6 Nov, 16:42
• Man handed life term after ‘shock confession’ this year to partner’s 1998 murderTrevor Dunkley admitted beating mother-of-seven Patricia Lashley to death when police spoke to him as part of a missing person’s inquiry in July.Express & Star · 6 Nov, 16:18
• Watch: Self-confessed killer arrested 30 years after Dudley woman's murderTrevor Dunkley confessed because he thought police were “onto him”Express & Star · 6 Nov, 16:18
• Inside killer's lair where he kept mum's body for a year before dumping remains in binEvil Trevor Dunkley violently attacked his partner Patricia Lashley in bed at the home they shared in Dudley in September 1998BirminghamLive · 6 Nov, 15:57
• Self-confessed killer who got away with murder for nearly 30 years was a familiar face in Dudley town centreTrevor Dunkley was jailed today for lifeExpress & Star · 6 Nov, 15:55
• Dudley murderer tells police 'my life is finished' after confessing to killing mum decades agoTrevor Dunkley has been jailed for life to serve a minimum term of more than 10 years in jailBirminghamLive · 6 Nov, 15:41

In this story: Trevor Dunkley · Patricia Lashley · Dudley · West Midlands Police · Wolverhampton Crown Court

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log