A British father and son on a premeditated killing spree, who mutilated and blowtorched two men, were sentenced to life.
Edinburgh High Court Judge Lord Arthurson sentenced Ian MacLeod, 66, and Dean MacLeod, 42, to life in prison for the brutal and sadistic killing of Derek Johnston, 37, and Desmond Rowlings, 66. The McLeods admitted to the killings and pleaded guilty to the murders.
"This is, on any view, one of the worst cases of murder to come before the high court," said the judge, according to SKY News.
On Nov. 1, 2022, police officers responded to the disappearance of Rowlings after his partner had called to wish him a happy birthday. Soon, authorities tracked him to Ian MacLeod's flat in Greendykes House, 14 Greendykes Road, in Edinburgh. Upon entry, they found Johnston’s body in the bath covered with a rug, while Rowlings was found in the living room covered with a blanket.
According to prosecutors, the crimes were committed between Oct.30 and Nov. 1, 2022, when both men had been invited in turn, with Johnston being the first, to the flat. Upon arrival, the defendants inflicted at least 28 separate injuries on Johnston’s body while they severed a part of his nose and one of his ears and forced a nail into his eye sockets. The next day, the father-son duo invited Rowlings, who was a neighbor, and inflicted 136 injuries on his body. His nose, upper lip, and ears were also severed in addition to using a blowtorch to burn “YT,” “VT,” and “YLT” on his body. Furthermore, a hammer was left embedded in Johnston’s head. Authorities established
During a search of the residence, investigators found two blood-stained machetes, two hammers, and a Stanley knife. After the fatal incidents, the MacLeods left a note in the hallway of the residence that stated what they had done was evil and sadistic. Then, they fled the scene with the intention of taking fatal doses of Methadone in a suicidal attempt but ended up in an infirmary where authorities found the victim’s body parts in a rucksack belonging to the MacLeods.
“We were so proud of him – and although he was not without his own struggles in life, he battled on with inspirational resilience. Our hearts and minds are filled with pain, devastation, heartbreak and trauma where happiness, hopes and dreams once existed. Our faith in humanity is shattered. In our opinion – in the absence of capital punishment - there is no justifiable sentence that fits this cruel, calculated, callous and horrific crime. But today, we saw those monsters put behind bars for good," stated Johnston’s sister, Pamela Johnston, and his mother, Angela Couzens, in a statement, reported BBC.
Both defendants will be eligible for parole after serving 34 years behind bars.
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