Woman unlawfully killed by stranger in her home, inquest finds

Lisa Fraser was killed in her own home

A woman stabbed to death in her home was an "innocent victim" unlawfully killed by a stranger, a coroner has concluded.

Lisa Fraser, 52, was found with multiple neck wounds after Matthew Harris entered her house in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire on May 2022.

Mr Harris, 41, was said to have struggled with drug dependency but had no formal mental health diagnosis.

At the Haverfordwest hearing, Assistant Coroner Paul Bennett said Mrs Fraser had no connection to her attacker, who was capable of "erratic behaviour and untrue accusations".

Mrs Fraser was found in a bedroom and died of a number "of stab wounds to the neck", the hearing was told.

Mr Bennett said it was "unusual" for a case to involve "somebody who did not know her" but entered her home and killed her.

The hearing heard that on the morning of 13 May 2022, Mr Harris damaged a number of plant pots in gardens and a car window in the Neyland area, before cycling to Military Road in Pembroke Dock.

At around 08:00 BST, he threatened an elderly motorist with a knife, telling him he was "going to die".

The motorist managed to escape and called the police.

When armed police arrived on the street, Mr Harris walked over from the front door of Mrs Fraser's home with his hands up saying "I've just killed a Nazi in there" and that he "needed to go to jail".

Police entered the property and found Mrs Fraser's body in a rear bedroom.

When Mr Harris was arrested, he replied "guilty as charged".

The coroner said Mrs Fraser's family, like many others in Pembroke Dock, had "no concerns about leaving her property doors unlocked."

'I am insane and need help'

When he was charged with murder, criminal damage, threats to kill and robbery on 15 May, he told police: "I am insane and need help."

Mr Harris was remanded to HMP Swansea before being transferred to Long Lartin prison, Worcestershire.

On 27 May 2022, he attempted to take his life, and died a day later at a local hospital.

The inquest heard that despite concerns raised by his parents, Mr Harris had never been given a formal mental health diagnosis.

Witnesses described him as "paranoid" and "prone to making false allegations", and the hearing was told he was addicted to painkillers.

Charmaine Fox, who knew Mr Harris, told the inquest he would sometimes "fabricate mental conditions to avoid custody."

The inquest also heard from Phoebe Fraser, Lisa's mother, who said she was "a wife mother and best friend"

"Lisa Fraser was more than a woman who was murdered, she was a beautiful, caring soul.

"She was the life and soul of any party or get together"

Mr Bennett said said Mr Harris was "of sound mind" when he entered Mrs Fraser's home and intended to kill her.

Tony Wilcox, councillor for the Pennar ward said the community had "never seen such an impact".

"There was stunned devastation. I've never seen nothing like it before. People were aghast and terrified this could happen in our community. This was a random killing."

He added that "two nice families have been blighted by this. The Harris family have also suffered as it's their son and there will always be a stigma."