Inside Joanna Dennehy's Brutal Killing Spree In Cambridgeshire, England
On March 19, 2013, 31-year-old Lucasz Slaboszewski received a text message from Joanna Dennehy, who was an acquaintance he had recently met in Peterborough, England. In the message, Dennehy invited Slaboszewski to her apartment for drinks. As reported by Crime + Investigation, Slaboszewski accepted the invitation, as he liked Dennehy and may have been hoping to begin a romantic relationship. Although the evening started out innocent enough, with some conversation and a few drinks, Dennehy eventually suggested playing a game of sorts, which required Slaboszewski to be blindfolded. Once her guest was blindfolded, Dennehy proceeded to grab a knife and stab him directly through the heart.
When Slaboszewski was dead, Dennehy realized she did not have the means to dispose of his corpse. Crime + Investigation reports that she called a close friend, Gary Richards, to help her remove the corpse from her apartment and dispose of it. Richards and another friend, Leslie Layton, moved the corpse to a bin outside Dennehy's apartment. A few days later, they returned to move the corpse to a ditch in a more remote location.
She ultimately killed three men
Fewer than two weeks later, on March 28, 2013, Joanna Dennehy went to visit a neighbor, 56-year-old John Chapman. In addition to a bottle of alcohol, she brought the same knife she used to kill Lucasz Slaboszewski. As reported by Crime + Investigation, Dennehy and Chapman shared drinks until Chapman fell asleep. Dennehy then proceeded to stab Chapman a total of six times in the chest. Faced with the logistics of disposing of yet another corpse, Dennehy called Gary Richards and Leslie Layton, who transported Chapman's corpse to the same ditch where they disposed of Slaboszewski.
The following day, Dennehy invited her landlord, Kevin Lee, to her apartment. Like the others, Lee agreed to meet with Dennehy for drinks. Later that same evening, Dennehy stabbed Lee to death, as she had done to Chaman and Slaboszewski. Once again, Richards and Layton agreed to dispose of the corpse. According to Crime + Investigation, they dumped Lee's corpse in another ditch, which was approximately 8 miles from the ditch where they disposed of the others.
Joanna Dennehy assaulted two more men before she was caught
Following the murder of Kevin Lee, Joanna Dennehy and Gary Richards decided to work together to commit a robbery. As reported by Crime + Investigation, they enlisted Mark Lloyd, who had the means to sell stolen goods, to assist in the crime. However, Lloyd was not aware Dennehy had already killed three men, and she was proud enough to brag about the heinous nature of her crimes. Although he was uncomfortable with Dennehy's unusual pride in the murders she committed, he remained in the vehicle while Richards stopped twice for Dennehy to attack and stab two different men. Crime + Investigation reports 64-year-old Robin Bereza was stabbed in the shoulder, and 57-year-old John Rogers was stabbed more than 30 times.
According to the Daily Mail, authorities had already identified Dennehy as a suspect in the murders of Lucasz Slaboszewski, John Chapman, and Kevin Lee and were looking for her when she stabbed Bereza and Rogers. They finally caught up with her two days later.
She was diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder
As reported by Crime + Investigation, Joanna Dennehy, who was born in 1982, left home at the age of 15. Shortly after, she began dating 20-year-old John Treanor. The couple eventually had two children together. However, Dennehy became addicted to alcohol and drugs and reportedly neglected her children. She had a history of committing petty crimes and spent time in a juvenile detention facility. She also did not seem to express any remorse for the crimes she committed or have any empathy for others, including her own children. Treanor eventually left Dennehy and was granted sole custody of the children.
In 2012, when Dennehy was 30 years old, she was convicted of theft and was also required to undergo a mental health assessment. Crime + Investigation reports she was ultimately diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder, which contributed to the anger, impulsivity, and rage she often displayed. Although she was prescribed medication, which subdued her anger and evened her mood, Dennehy eventually stopped taking the medication because she thought she was cured.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.
She was convicted on three counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison
Joanna Dennehy was ultimately convicted on three counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison. As reported by Cambridge News, Judge Justice Spencer, who presided over the trial, said, "Within the space of 10 days you murdered three men in cold blood. Although you pleaded guilty, you've made it quite clear you have no remorse. You are a cruel, calculating, selfish, and manipulative serial killer." However, instead of displaying any regret or remorse, Dennehy simply laughed.
While incarcerated, Dennehy became involved in a romantic relationship with another inmate — Hayley Palmer. During an interview with The Sun, Palmer, who was ultimately released, said Dennehy often bragged to her about the murders she committed. She said Dennehy "laughed at the situation and had no regrets at all" about what she had done. At one point, Palmer said she and Dennehy both attempted to commit suicide, as they were distraught that they would be separated, but they ultimately survived. Palmer was eventually transferred to another facility and later released. However, the women continued their relationship until late 2021.
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
Joanna Dennehy was reportedly involved with a prison officer
As reported by The Sun, Hayley Palmer said she has no doubt Joanna Dennehy "would have carried on if she wasn't stopped." Prior to their 2021 split, Dennehy sent Palmer dozens of letters. In one of the letters, she told Palmer, "To me you will never be anything other than real, the first person to creep under my skin. You have a fully committed psychopath. Together we will travel a path so beautifully dark, so mentally and physically dangerous we will cease to know where I begin and you end."
While she was declaring her love and devotion to Palmer, Dennehy was also corresponding with a man. According to Daily Mail, the man was a senior officer at the prison where Dennehy remains incarcerated. The home of the man, whose name was not made public, was searched amid allegations that he committed sexual assault. While searching his home, authorities found numerous letters from Dennehy. Although the specific content of the letters was not revealed, authorities said they were of a romantic nature and were quite graphic.
According to the Daily Mail, the former officer is currently being held on sexual assault charges, which were related to another female inmate. It is unclear whether he had an actual relationship with Dennehy or whether he will face charges for the inappropriate correspondence.
f you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).