BUSINESSMAN JAILED FOR LIFE FOR KILLING WIFE AFTER SHE TOLD HIM SHE WAS STARTING A NEW LIFE IN LAS VEGAS
A businessman known for earning millions through internet casino ventures, 53-year-old Mark Campbell was convicted of murdering his wife, Olga Pleguezuelos-Puixeu, in their £500,000 apartment near Harrow School in northwest London.The killing occurred after Campbell found a late-night message from her secret lover that read: 'Joy madness desire.
I can still taste you.' Prosecutors described how Campbell took an ornate knife—which also served as a letter opener—and entered Olga’s bedroom while she was sleeping, apparently intending to kill her.
He stabbed her seven times on the back of her head and neck and sliced her fingers as she tried to defend herself.
Last October, Campbell called emergency services and admitted, 'I've killed my wife.' When authorities arrived, they found Olga covered with a duvet on her bed and Campbell naked with minor cuts to his neck and wrists.
The jury unanimously found him guilty of murder, dismissing manslaughter, and the judge sentenced him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 14 years.
Judge Anthony Morris noted, 'You then armed yourself with a pillow and a knife and went into her bedroom as she slept, with the intent to kill her.
You decided if you could not have her, no one else could.' The court learned that Olga, who was from Barcelona and was advancing in the gaming industry, had been trying to leave Campbell for seven years but was repeatedly lured back with expensive gifts.
She had moved to Las Vegas for a senior marketing role at Aristocrat Technologies and planned to join her fiancé there when she was murdered.
The case also revealed Campbell’s involvement in planning a new 'Las Vegas' in Spain, while dealing with debts of around £1 million from his online gaming enterprise, Gem Lifestyle, which created tension in their relationship.
Olga had expressed relief and a renewed sense of energy after ending her relationship with Campbell and starting anew in Las Vegas.
The court highlighted Campbell’s controlling and possessive behavior, especially after discovering the secret message.
Prosecutors argued that, in a fit of rage, Campbell decided to kill Olga to prevent her from being with another man.
The judge pointed out that Campbell’s behavior was obsessive and self-centered, leading directly to her death.
Olga’s mother, Maria, delivered an emotional statement, saying, 'Our life has no purpose without her.' Ultimately, the court concluded that Campbell, unable to accept the end of their marriage, sought to eliminate Olga to keep her forever, a verdict supported by the jury, resulting in a life sentence.
