A romantic birthday dinner at a luxury hotel ended in tragedy when a woman in England was allegedly murdered by her ex-fiancé just hours after treating him to a six-course tasting menu.
On July 8, a court in Guildford heard chilling details about the death of 54-year-old Samantha Mickleburgh, a mother of two from Devon, who was found dead on April 14, 2024, in a hotel room at Pennyhill Park in Surrey. She had arranged the stay to celebrate the 60th birthday of her ex, James Cartwright, despite having broken up with him just two months earlier.
“She didn’t wish him any ill,” prosecutors told the court. “But she also felt bad for him and didn’t want him to be alone on his birthday.”
According to prosecutors, Samantha had ended the relationship after describing Cartwright as insecure, clingy, and emotionally suffocating. Despite that, she agreed to spend one last evening with him—an evening that ended in violence.
Hotel staff reportedly noticed Samantha appearing drowsy during the lavish meal. Security footage later showed the pair returning to their room around 10:30 p.m. It was the last time she was seen alive.
The next morning, Cartwright called emergency services, claiming he woke up to find Samantha unresponsive in bed. But prosecutors say that story is a lie. A post-mortem revealed signs of strangulation and a significant head injury. “She didn’t and couldn’t have strangled herself,” the prosecution said.
Cartwright, who has no fixed address, is on trial for murder, rape, and coercive control. He denies all charges.
After the breakup, Cartwright had allegedly bombarded Samantha with texts and calls and showed up at her home uninvited. Prosecutors believe she intended to tell him over dinner that this would be their final meeting—possibly triggering the fatal outburst.
Samantha’s son Alexander told the court that his mom had made it clear that this dinner was meant to be goodbye. “She made it clear this was the last time she was going to see him.”
In a statement, her children described Samantha as “both parents in one” after the loss of their father. “No finer example of a mom could there be,” they said. “We will feel the loss in every aspect of our lives.”
The trial is ongoing.
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Author: thedailycrime1
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