Stockwell tenant jailed for murdering couple during lockdown

Daniel Briceno Garcia claimed he was hearing voices at the time of the killings

A man who stabbed his two landlords to death during the first lockdown has been jailed for life.

Daniel Briceno Garcia, 46, unleashed a "brutal and frenzied attack" on Sonia Butron Calvi, 66, and Edgar Aguilera Daza, 60, on 1 April 2020.

The couple were found lying in a "bloodbath" at their home in Stockwell, south London, the Old Bailey was told.

Garcia was ordered to serve a minimum of 33 years having previously been found guilty of murder.

Ms Calvi and Mr Daza were subletting rooms at the house in Dorset Road to six Spanish-speaking tenants, including Garcia.

On the day she died, Ms Calvi had told one of the other tenants that the defendant was "constantly in a bad mood", jurors heard.

Sonia Butron Calvi was found lying face down in the kitchen while Edgar Aguilera Daza was discovered in a pool of blood

Later that afternoon, another tenant heard shouting and opened her bedroom door to see Garcia repeatedly stabbing Mr Daza in the stomach.

The defendant was holding him around the neck, the court heard, as Ms Calvi screamed: "Daniel, no, Daniel. Daniel, I'm going to call the police."

When the witness tried to leave her room after the attack, Garcia, who was wearing white cleaning gloves, told her to lock herself inside.

The court heard six 999 calls were made on Garcia's phone before police arrived and his hands were bleeding when he opened the door.

Prosecutor Tom Little QC Little said: "What was found at the property can only be properly described as a bloodbath."

The victims were subletting rooms at the house in Dorset Road to six tenants including Garcia

Mr Daza was found in a pool of blood in the hallway and Ms Calvi was lying face down in the kitchen with a knife clenched in her hand.

The murder weapon was found in Garcia's bedroom, as well as a whiteboard with writing in French and Spanish referring to the Covid crisis, the court heard.

The jury was told Garcia had been worried about the risks of Covid as well as paying his rent during the pandemic.

He admitted manslaughter but denied murder, claiming he was hearing voices at the time of the killings.

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