Tarantino Murders
On June 29, 2008, responding to reports of an explosion and fire in a south London apartment, police arrived to find two charred victims. On closer inspection, each had been bound and stabbed to death prior to the fire. The victims were French biochemistry students, Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, on a three-month stay in London to conduct research. The case was dubbed "The Tarantino Murders," because its gruesome details were supposedly reminiscent of a Quentin Tarantino movie.1
On July 9, 2008, 33-year-old Nigel Farmer surrendered to police, and was charged with murder and arson.2 Three additional suspects were subsequently arrested in connection with the case.
Fast Facts
- Both victims 23-years-old
- Students at France's Universite Blaise-Pascale
- Researching DNA at London Imperial College
- Apartment was Bonomo's
- Bonomo stabbed 196 times3
- Ferez stabbed 47 times3
- Unidentified man seen running from building
- Apartment broken into 6 days before4
- Stolen: laptops, ATM cards, Sony PSPs
- Detective Mick Duthie called the crime a "frenzied, brutal, horrific attack"4
- July 9, 2008: Police arrested Nigel Farmer and charged him with murder2
- Farmer also charged with arson2
Evidence
On July 6, 2008, police released an electronically generated sketch of the suspect seen fleeing Bonomo's apartment after the explosion. He was described as a white male in his thirties.5 In addition, it was revealed that blood-stained clothing had turned up near the scene5, and that the victims' ATM cards had been used to withdraw cash subsequent to the murders.3
Suspects
As of July 10, four suspects were being held in connection with the murders of Bonomo and Ferez.
- Nigel Farmer: A 33-year-old Londoner reported to be unemployed and homeless, Farmer surrendered to police June 9. He was treated for burns on his arms and formally charged with murder, arson and attempting to destroy evidence.
- Daniel Sonnex: Sonnex is a 23-year-old reported to have criminal ties in the New Cross section of London, where Bonomo's apartment was located. He was arrested July 10 after a brief manhunt.
- Bernard Sonnex: Daniel Sonnex's 35-year-old brother.
- Unnamed woman: Police did not release the identity of a woman, age 25, who was arrested with Bernard Sonnex.
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