Met Police
A man who murdered two girlfriends a year apart has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 35 years.
Carl Cooper, 66, was in relationships with Naomi Hunte, 41, who was stabbed to death in 2022 and Fiona Holm, 48, who disappeared in June 2023.
Ms Hunte was found dead on her blood-soaked sofa, while Ms Holm’s body has never been found.
A jury at Woolwich Crown Court convicted Cooper of both counts of murder after three days of deliberations.
Family photographs
The trial had heard Ms Hunte was found dead on Valentine’s Day after having made a number of calls to police over the previous two years.
She told officers that handyman Cooper was “obsessed” with her and had been stalking her, leaving her “really scared”.
Ms Holm, of Catford, south-east London, had also made complaints about Cooper to the police, the jury heard.
After she was found to be missing, Cooper stripped his living room, getting rid of curtains, carpets and wallpaper.
Speaking after the verdict, Det Ch Insp Kate Blackburn from the Metropolitan Police said: “Carl Cooper is a dangerous, violent domestic abuser who preys on women with vulnerabilities.
“He took the lives of two vibrant, sociable women who were so very loved by their families and friends.
“Naomi and Fiona are in my thoughts today.”
