Murder of Gordon Semple

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Coordinates: 51°30′19″N 0°05′47″W / 51.5054°N 0.0964°W / 51.5054; -0.0964
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Murder of Gordon Semple
LocationFlat 5, Peabody Estate, Southwark, London
Coordinates51°30′19″N 0°05′47″W / 51.5054°N 0.0964°W / 51.5054; -0.0964
Date1 April 2016 (2016-04-01)
Attack type
Murder
VictimGordon Semple
PerpetratorStefano Brizzi
VerdictGuilty
ConvictionsMurder, obstructing a coroner
JudgeNicholas Hilliard
SentenceLife imprisonment (minimum of 24 years)

Gordon Archibald Semple (13 June 1956 – 1 April 2016) was a British Metropolitan Police officer who was murdered by Stefano Brizzi on 1 April 2016.[1]

Stefano Brizzi arranged on Grindr to meet Gordon Semple for a chemsex party at his apartment in the Peabody Estate[2] in Southwark, London, where Brizzi strangled Semple to death. He then attempted to dispose of the body but was arrested by police on 7 April.[3][4]

Brizzi went on trial in October 2016. During the trial, he denied committing the murder but admitted to obstructing a coroner in the execution of their duties. On 13 November, he was convicted for both crimes.[5] In December, Brizzi was given a life sentence with a minimum of 24 years.[6][7]

On 5 February 2017, Brizzi committed suicide by hanging at HMP Belmarsh.[8]

Background[edit]

Gordon Semple[edit]

Gordon Semple was born in Inverness on 13 June 1956. He grew up in the Raigmore area and attended Inverness High School.[1] At the age of 18, Semple moved to London and got a job at the Bank of Scotland.[9] In 1974,[10] Semple joined the Metropolitan Police in 1983, later becoming constable in the antisocial behaviour unit.[11] Semple lived in Greenhithe, Kent and was in an open relationship with Gary Meeks.[1][12][5]

Stefano Brizzi[edit]

Stefano Brizzi was born 26 June 1966[5] in the comune of San Marcello Pistoiese, Pistoia, Tuscany, Italy.[13] and was raised Catholic. At the age of 15, he realised he was gay, but hid his sexuality fearing the reactions of those around him.[14] Brizzi studied at the University of Florence[15] before moving to London in 2012 and getting a computer programming job at Morgan Stanley.[13] In 2008, Brizzi was diagnosed with HIV and Hepatitis C which he described as "a death sentence".[16] In 2013,[17] Brizzi became addicted to crystal meth which forced him to quit his job in February 2015.[5] He joined a support group for his drug addiction called Crystal Meth Anonymous, the group leader Alexander Roberts said his attendance had been sporadic – attending regularly for several weeks before disappearing for months.[13]

Brizzi also became a Satanist as a "rejection of Christian values".[13]

Incident and investigation[edit]

On 1 April 2016, at 12:30pm, Gordon Semple left a meeting at the Shangri-La Hotel in The Shard to meet Stefano Brizzi whom he had contacted on Grindr.[1] At 3pm, he was last seen on CCTV at Great Guildford Street.[2][18] Semple arrived at Brizzi's house where the two organised a sex party, inviting other men to the flat.[3] During a bondage session, Brizzi strangled Semple to death.[19] While Semple was being strangled, a man showed up for the party, identified in court as "CD", Brizzi turned the man away claiming that someone had been sick and the party was cancelled.[20]

After failing to return home, Semple's partner, Gary Meeks reported him missing that evening,[18][21] and thousands of people joined a Facebook group that Semple's niece, Kerry Nicholas set up to help search for him.[22][23]

On 5 April, Brizzi was filmed on CCTV at Leyland Specialist Decorators' Merchants, a DIY store near his house,[24] where he brought buckets, metal sheets, acid bottles, and cleaning products to dispose of Semple's body.[5][19]

On 7 April, neighbours were alerted to a "stench of death" coming from Brizzi's flat. Martin Harris, Brizzi's neighbour confronted him and he claimed that he was "cooking for a friend".[25][7] Brizzi was arrested after police investigated the flat due to complaints about the smell.[26] Brizzi greeted them wearing pink briefs and aviator sunglasses.[4] While he was being arrested, he confessed to officers that he had killed a police officer and tried to dissolve the body and that he met on Grindr and said that "Satan told me to".[11]

Inside Brizzi's flat, police found "globules" of flesh in the bath, which was filled with sodium hydroxide and spirits of salt containing hydrofluoric acid,[5][27] bags containing bones, parts of Semple's head, and pools of human fat in the oven.[28] Semple's DNA was found on kitchen utensils leading to speculation that he had eaten part of Semple's body.[17] They also found bite marks on a piece of bone and evidence that one of Semple's legs were burned.[29][30]

Brizzi had taken some of the parts that he couldn't destroy and dumped them in the River Thames.[29] A foot was later found by a member of Thames Mudlark Club near Bermondsey Wall.[19]

While being interrogated, he told police that Satan had told him to "kill, kill, kill".[17]

Trial and sentencing[edit]

In October 2016, Stefano Brizzi went on trial at the Old Bailey. He denied murder but admitted to the crime of obstructing a coroner in the execution of their duties. During the trial, he claimed that Semple's death was accidental and a result of a "sex game that went wrong".[31]

On 13 November, he was convicted for both crimes by a jury with a 10:2 majority after 30 hours of deliberation.[5] In December, he was sentenced by Judge Nicholas Hilliard to life imprisonment with a minimum of 24 years. The judge added "Regret you express now for Mr Semple’s death has to be seen against what you did over a number of days to his body."[6]

Suicide of Stefano Brizzi[edit]

On 5 February 2017, Stefano Brizzi committed suicide by hanging at HMP Belmarsh. He left a will and letters to his family and friends on his bed, which included the phrase "I die in peace".[11][8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Everything we know about Inverness policeman murdered by Breaking Bad fanatic". Press and Journal. 15 November 2016. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  2. ^ a b Jamie Grierson (8 April 2016). "Family mourns PC Gordon Semple as man held on suspicion of murder". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b Tristan Kirk (28 October 2016). "Murder accused reveals details of sex party before PC Gordon Semple was found dead". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Breaking Bad fan Stefano Brizzi jailed for life after dismembering Greenhithe PC Gordon Semple". Kent Online. 12 December 2016. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Kevin EG Perry (21 February 2017). "The Life and Crimes of 'Cannibal Cop Killer' Stefano Brizzi". Vice. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  6. ^ a b Alexandra Topping (12 December 2016). "Man who dissolved PC Gordon Semple's body in acid jailed for life". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  7. ^ a b "il fotogramma". Il Tirreno (in Italian). 7 February 2017. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  8. ^ a b Nadia Khomami (27 April 2018). "Man jailed for murdering policeman killed himself in prison, inquest hears". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  9. ^ Calum Ross (19 May 2017). "Former Inverness classmates both brutally murdered within a few days". Press and Journal. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  10. ^ Martin Evans (14 November 2016). "'Breaking Bad' cop killer: The disturbing story behind the murder of Pc Gordon Semple by a man he met on Grindr". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Gregor White (7 February 2017). "'I'm happy he's dead', says policeman's brother as killer found in cell". Inverness Courier. Archived from the original on 22 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Gordon Semple murder trial: Sex party-goer 'called by as accused Stefano Brizzi was strangling Greenhithe police officer', court hears". News Shopper. 24 October 2016. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d "Everything we know about the man who murdered and dismembered Highland policeman". Press and Journal. 15 November 2016. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  14. ^ Tristan Kirk (15 November 2016). "Stefano Brizzi: Gordon Semple killer was bondage and torture-addicted 'Jekyll and Hyde character'". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 22 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  15. ^ Richard Hartley-Parkinson (29 June 2016). "Graduate in court for 'chopping up gay policeman he met on Grindr'". Metro. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  16. ^ "Inquest opens into death of cannibal killer Stefano Brizzi who tried to eat victim Gordon Semple". Kent Online. 23 April 2018. Archived from the original on 23 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  17. ^ a b c "Stefano Brizzi: PC Gordon Semple 'didn't use safe word'". BBC News. 28 October 2016. Archived from the original on 22 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  18. ^ a b "CCTV images show missing Met policeman in Bankside on Friday". London SE1. 6 April 2016. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  19. ^ a b c "Stefano Brizzi guilty of PC Gordon Semple's murder". BBC News. 14 November 2016. Archived from the original on 22 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  20. ^ "PC Semple murder: Witness heard 'someone throwing up on the carpet'". BBC News. 24 October 2016. Archived from the original on 22 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  21. ^ Sebastian Mann (6 April 2016). "Gordon Semple missing: Search for Met Police officer who vanished after meeting at Shangri-La hotel". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  22. ^ Nick Hudson (11 April 2016). "Man charged with murder of PC Gordon Semple". Police Professional. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  23. ^ Matt Watts (11 April 2016). "Gordon Semple: Tributes to Met Police officer after human remains are found in Southwark flat". The Standard. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  24. ^ Mark Chandler; Tristan Kirk (22 October 2016). "Moment Breaking Bad fan Stefano Brizzi 'bought bleach, saw and buckets to dispose of murdered policeman's body'". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  25. ^ Paul Peachey (9 April 2016). "Body of missing policeman Gordon Semple found after stench of death alarms neighbours". Independent. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  26. ^ "PC Gordon Semple death: More time to quiz murder suspect". BBC News. 9 April 2016. Archived from the original on 25 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  27. ^ "'Evil' cannibal jailed for 'acid bath' murder of PC". ITV News. 12 December 2016. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  28. ^ "Breaking Bad obsessive found guilty of PC Gordon Semple murder". ITV News. 14 November 2016. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  29. ^ a b Emily Pennink; Nina Massey (21 October 2016). "'I tried to roast a hand and foot' Sadomasochist who murdered Scots cop may have cooked and eaten his body parts". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  30. ^ Haroon Siddique (21 October 2016). "Man may have cooked and eaten parts of PC's corpse, court told". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  31. ^ Haroon Siddique (20 October 2016). "Social worker 'obsessed with Breaking Bad dismembered police officer'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
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