James Desborough, 40, has been sentenced to whole-life imprisonment after being convicted of the murders of two men in Cornwall, as well as the killing of his prison cellmate while awaiting trial. The case has prompted police to review the deaths of four other individuals who lived with Desborough at a homeless shelter in Newquay.

Desborough was found guilty of murdering Claudio Aquilino, 57, and Daniel Coleman, 43, whose dismembered and partially burnt remains were discovered in dense woodland near St Austell between April and June 2025. Both men had lived at Sandy Lodge, a shelter providing accommodation for those experiencing homelessness and addiction, where Desborough also stayed during that period. Investigators uncovered approximately 1,900 burnt bone fragments from Aquilino’s body in a stream and parts of Coleman’s body buried in a shallow grave nearby.

In addition, while on remand at HMP Exeter awaiting trial for the Cornwall murders, Desborough strangled his cellmate, Steven Kempster, 65, reportedly because of the man’s snoring. He was already serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 19 years for this third murder before being handed whole-life sentences for the earlier killings.

During the investigation, Desborough told a forensic biologist involved in the search of the woods that he “particularly enjoyed the dismemberment scenes” in the television series Dexter, which focuses on a vigilante serial killer. Police also found weapons such as machetes and saws on Desborough’s property, along with handwritten notes referencing killing and predators.

Devon and Cornwall Police are actively examining the unexplained deaths of two men and two women who lived at Sandy Lodge at the same time as Desborough. Detective Superintendent Rachael Bentley confirmed the investigation is ongoing but stated the deaths were initially believed to be from natural causes, and there is currently no established link to Desborough. She noted that the arrest and trial had paused coronial inquiries and added that forensic work, CCTV reviews, and witness statements are being revisited now the trial is complete.

The murders of Aquilino and Coleman reportedly followed conflicts involving Desborough. The court heard that Desborough was involved in a love triangle with Coleman and his wife. Leading up to Coleman’s murder, Desborough sent texts expressing a violent mindset, describing himself as “absolutely bloodthirsty.”

Desborough had been living off-grid on land near St Austell, where he maintained a wooden cabin and allowed homeless acquaintances to camp while cultivating cannabis. After Coleman was reported missing, police conducted a five-month search before discovering the remains of both men on Desborough’s property.

In sentencing, the judge described Desborough as “a highly dangerous individual who had no regard for the life of those you think are worthless.” The defendant had denied killing the men but admitted to burning and concealing their bodies, attributing this to being under the influence of drugs. He claimed to have found the bodies, describing the circumstances as “unfortunate.”

The investigation continues into the other deaths at the shelter, with authorities emphasizing that no new victims are currently being sought but that all inquiries remain ongoing.