James Desborough, 40, has been jailed for life for the murders of two men, Claudio Aquilino, 57, and Daniel Coleman, 43. Desborough, who styled himself on the television character Dexter, was filmed engaging in a boxing-style sparring session with teenagers in Truro, Cornwall, on June 3, 2025, the same day Mr. Coleman was last seen alive.

Desborough was convicted of strangling his cellmate, Steven Kempster, 65, while awaiting trial for the murders of Mr. Aquilino and Mr. Coleman. He received a life sentence with a minimum term of 19 years for that offense. Devon and Cornwall Police are also investigating whether Desborough may be responsible for the deaths of four other individuals who were at the same homeless shelter.

Mr. Aquilino was murdered in April 2025, shortly after being last seen. His remains were discovered in a stream near Desborough's woodland cabin. Parts of Mr. Coleman's dismembered body were later found in a shallow grave nearby. Desborough met both victims at Sandy Lodge, a shelter for homeless and drug-dependent individuals in Newquay. After their deaths, he accessed their bank accounts to create the illusion they were still alive.

During the investigation, police found handwritten notes at Desborough's cabin, including one describing himself as "a killer, ready to kill and execute any predators" and another titled "Hostiles" which listed "Dan" with three crosses, an apparent reference to Mr. Coleman. Desborough also commented to a forensic biologist that he "particularly enjoyed the dismemberment scenes" in the TV series Dexter.

Mr. Coleman had contacted police on June 3, 2025, reporting concerns about Desborough, stating his wife had friends who would harm him. He was reported missing shortly after, leading to a search that ultimately uncovered the remains of both victims. Text messages sent by Desborough prior to Mr. Coleman's murder revealed escalating anger and a warning that he was "absolutely bloodthirsty."

Mr. Aquilino had also contacted police the day before he was last seen, describing Desborough as "really off his head" and attempting to involve him in criminal activity.

At trial, Desborough claimed he found both men already dead and decided to dispose of their remains, attributing his actions to drug abuse and a loss of grip on reality. He also claimed to have purchased a "large beef roast" after dismembering Mr. Coleman, insisting it was "just every day life."

While on remand at HMP Exeter, Desborough strangled his cellmate, Mr. Kempster, over the latter's snoring and unwashed cutlery. Prison staff found Mr. Kempster deceased, and Desborough initially claimed his cellmate had fallen from his bunk. He later changed his story, asserting self-defense after Mr. Kempster touched his penis, attributing the inconsistent accounts to delusion.

Detective Superintendent Rachael Bentley of Devon & Cornwall Police described the murders as "callous and cold-blooded," noting that both victims were vulnerable and trusted Desborough. She highlighted his brutal actions, the desecration of the bodies, and his attempts to conceal the crimes and mislead detectives.