Diana Cristea & Joel Osei
| AKA | |
| DOB | Osei - 1996 Cristea - 2002 |
| Occupation | |
| Kill Total | 1 |
| Kill Place | London |
| Kill Date | June 2019 |
| M.O. | Poison |
| Victim | Adrian Murphy-43 |
| Court | The Old Bailey |
| Judge | Mr. Justice William Davis |
| Prosceution | Crispin Aylett QC |
| Defence | |
| Case No: | T20207192 |
The couple had a 'tempestuous' relationship but regarded each other as soul-mates with 'big plans for their future.'
They hatched a plan to drug their victims and then rob them.
Joel Osei purchased online a poison from South America called scopolamine.
It is often used as a date-rape drug known as 'devil's breath', a substance from the deadly nightshade family of poisons commonly used in rapes and kidnappings in South America.
30th May 2019, Using a fake profile on the gay dating app, Grindr, the victim met with Osei believing he was called 'Remy' and invited him back to his London property for sex.
He passed out after drinking a glass of orange juice that Osei poured for him and woke up several hours later in hospital.
Items including his wallet, bank cards and two laptops worth about £2,000 had been stolen.
Items including his wallet, bank cards and two laptops worth about £2,000 had been stolen.
1st June 2019, again using his fake grindr profile, Joel Osei lured 43-year-old dance teacher Adrian Murphy for sex.
Osei had been spotted by CCTV cameras at the luxury apartment block in Lombard Wharf on 1st June where Mr Murphy was staying sat the time.
Osei entered the building and took the lift to the 17th floor at 22:26 and was again picked up by CCTV as he left the flat with a Louis Vuitton holdall.
Osei entered the building and took the lift to the 17th floor at 22:26 and was again picked up by CCTV as he left the flat with a Louis Vuitton holdall.
4th June 2019, Mr Murphy's body was discovered by a friend, police were called.
On forensic investigation at the scene Adrian's phone had been thrown down the toilet, plus a can of Coca-Cola was found to contain traces of scopolamine and Osei's fingerprints were discovered on a bottle of whisky left at the scene.
Cristea took photos of Mr Murphy's Louis Vuitton bag before advertising it for sale online for £300 along with five Dolce & Gabbana belts for £200.
The couple booked a hotel on the same day through Booking.com for £180.
They stayed on and off at the Simpson Street hotel during the following days while they made several purchases on different cards belonging to Mr Murphy.
The couple booked a hotel on the same day through Booking.com for £180.
They stayed on and off at the Simpson Street hotel during the following days while they made several purchases on different cards belonging to Mr Murphy.
After killing Mr Murphy, the couple attempted to buy £62,000 worth of diamonds from a jeweller in New York.
Joel Osei had used the same phone number to contact both victims, and was later identified by the surviving man.
Later analysis of Osei's phone and laptop linked Cristea to the crime, and revealed he had purchased the scopolamine online in early May.
Later analysis of Osei's phone and laptop linked Cristea to the crime, and revealed he had purchased the scopolamine online in early May.
January 2021, The pair were convicted of murder, poisoning by administering a substance to endanger life, two counts of theft, and eight counts of fraud by a unanimous jury verdict.
The pair were further convicted of poisoning a second man with the same drug two days earlier
Cristea, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and two counts of handling stolen goods.
22nd January 2021, 25-year-old Joel Osei was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 32 years.
28th March 2021, 19-year-old Cristea, of Langley Park, Mill Hill, north London, was sentenced to life, to serve a minimum 16-years behind bars, for murder, two counts of theft and eight counts of fraud.