A DEXTER fanatic murdered his cellmate while awaiting trial for chopping up his two roommates and scattering their remains, a court heard.
James Desborough, 39, strangled 65-year-old cellmate Steven Kempster to death at HMP Exeter in September last year.
Winchester Crown Court heard he was being held on remand at the time accused of killing Daniel Coleman, 43, and Claudio Aquilino, 57.
Desborough pleaded guilty to manslaughter but was convicted of murdering Kempster by a jury.
He is now on trial charged with two counts of murder following Daniel and Claudio’s deaths.
Jurors heard Desborough met the two men at a homeless residence in Newquay, Cornwall.
After he allegedly murdered the pair, he dismembered their bodies in Paramoor Woods, near Sticker in Cornwall, tried to burn and bury their remains then stole their money.
Ahmed Hossain KC, prosecuting, said that parts of Daniel’s dismembered body, including his torso, legs and feet, were found in a shallow grave.
Daniel’s DNA was discovered on an axe that was hanging from a tree nearby, Winchester Crown Court heard.
Claudio’s shallow grave was found 18 metres away.
Cops discovered 1,900 burnt bone fragments – belonging to Claudio – at a stream nearby, jurors were told.
A “piece of flesh” – also from the alleged victim – was in the water, and a search party also found “two pieces of unburnt scapula”, it was said.
Mr Hossain KC said Desborough was a fan of the hit TV show Dexter – in which the lead character is a serial killer who dismembers people.
The alleged killer told a forensic biologist involved in the woodland searches that he “particularly enjoyed the dismemberment scenes” in the show, the prosecutor said.
Police later seized a large number of handwritten notes in the woodland cabin.
One said: “I know I’m a killer, ready to kill and execute any predators.”
Another included “detailed travel plans and intent to leave the UK”.
This note mentioned a “shuffle bag liner”, “bodies buried”, “new disguise”, “new burner phone” and “safe house”, jurors heard.
Desborough denies murdering Claudio between April 17 and July 7 last year and killing Daniel between June 2 and July 7 last year.
He has pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful burial of the two men’s bodies.
The trial continues.
