JOHN MARTIN MURDERED BY BROTHER RICHARD IN HEMEL HEMPSTEAD OVER INHERITANCE

In a tragic case of fratricide related to inheritance disputes, John Martin was brutally killed by his brother Richard Martin. Richard, aged 53, was convicted of beating his older sibling to death at their family home in Hemel Hempstead in June 2018. The crime stemmed from a long-standing disagreement over their father’s estate, valued at £500,000. Richard, who works as an electrical engineer, had expressed anger that John inherited their father’s house and suspected the will had been forged.

On the day of the murder, Richard admitted that he walked from his bedsit, broke into John’s detached property with a metal bar and a brick, and used them to bludgeon John to death in what was described by authorities as 'horrific circumstances.' After the attack, Richard dragged John’s body into a garden shed. He then went out for drinks at a pub and later visited a cinema with a friend.

Police discovered John’s body after concerns were raised when he failed to attend a tennis match. Richard confessed to officers, stating openly, 'John can’t come because he is dead — I killed him.'

At Luton Crown Court, Richard was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18 years. Judge Richard Foster highlighted the tragic background of the case, remarking, 'The background to this case makes sad reading. It is an example of how money and possessions can be a force for evil when they tear a family apart. In my judgment, you have no regrets for what you did – to the contrary, you still seek to justify it.'