AYLESBURY MAN GUILTY OF COLD-BLOODED MURDER FOR INHERITANCE
Christopher Symons, aged 63, a resident of Cambridge Street in Aylesbury, was convicted of murdering his business partner Patricia Goodband, who was 76 years old, in December.The jury at Reading Crown Court reached a verdict that Symons committed the murder in a calculated and cold-blooded manner, driven solely by greed and the desire to secure a £1 million inheritance.
Her body was found in a concealed well on her property in January.
Symons denied involvement in the killing, claiming he had dropped her off at Milton Keynes station; however, this statement was proven false.
Authorities described his actions as premeditated and motivated solely by monetary gain, highlighting his deliberate plans to make her disappearance seem like an accident or a mysterious vanishing.
During the trial, evidence emerged that Symons enlisted his sister Kathleen Adams and his lover Jennifer Creasey to help conceal his crime.
Adams, 74, was acquitted of charges related to perverting the course of justice, whereas Creasey, 73, was found guilty of one count of such an offence out of two.
Additionally, Robert Taft, aged 59 and a friend of Symons, admitted to charges of obstructing justice and possessing ammunition without a license.
Symons is scheduled for sentencing the Monday after his conviction.
The case revealed that Ms.
Goodband had been friends with Symons for over 30 years and together operated a haulage and agricultural business from her residence.
The post-mortem confirmed death by head injuries.
The court described the murder as a cold-blooded, premeditated crime for financial benefit, with Symons having planned the act well in advance to inherit her estate.
The investigation uncovered numerous lies and falsehoods constructed by Symons to cover his tracks, indicating a layered effort to conceal his involvement.
