An Afghanistan veteran has been convicted of murder after stabbing his neighbours in their home following a parking row.
Collin Reeves knifed Stephen and Jennifer Chapple six times each while their children slept in their house in Dragon Rise, Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset, on the evening of November 21 last year. Reeves, also of Dragon Rise, had been disputing with the young couple over designated parking on the new-build housing development for a while.
The 35-year-old former Royal Engineer used his ceremonial dagger, given to him when he left the army, to commit the murders. Security cameras caught him climbing the fence separating his garden from the victims' while entering through the back door.
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Footage also captured Mrs Chapple screaming in horror while Reeves could be heard shouting "die you f***** die". Mrs Chapple, 33, didn't get the chance to stand up and defend herself.
Following the incident, Reeves called the police to tell them what he did, but later denied murder and pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. On Friday, a jury at Bristol Crown Court found Reeves guilty of two counts of murder following five hours and 21 minutes of deliberations.
He did not react as the verdict was read out, however, his wife Kayley wept and was able to hold her husband's hand in the gaps in the glass of the dock for a few seconds before he was led to the cells. The court heard the Chapples and Reeces previously had a good relationship but it deteriorated when Mrs Chapple learned to drive and purchased a second car.
Ten days before the murder, Reeves was caught on doorbell camera approaching the Chapple household and exchanging some violent words with Mrs Chapple. He accuses Mrs Chapple of “f***ing gobbing off you cheeky little bitch”.
The victim replies “she’s the one who started it, just f*** off”, to which he responds “what’s that you f****** c***, you fat bitch, you f****** … f****** c***”. It was also heard that the Reeves had been struggling with their marriage - less than an hour before he stabbed the Chapples, Mrs Reeves asked her husband for a trial separation.
Reeves was recorded after the incident telling someone believed to be his mother Lynn while on the 999 call “I couldn’t let her (or them) torment Kayley any more”. Reeves said he had little memory of the incident.
He claimed he did not remember taking his dagger out of the picture frame in which it was displayed. He added that the next thing he recalled was a bright light coming on, and trying to dip down on his front.
“I felt as though I had been seen or compromised, white light was a trigger when I was a soldier, when a light goes on or somebody sets off a flare, when that white light goes up something is going to happen,” Reeves said.
Asked what else he remembered, the defendant said: “I had a feeling like it was me or them.”
Adam Feest QC, prosecuting, asked: “When your wife said you needed to have a separation, did you at least, in part, blame Jennifer because she had tormented (your wife)?” the prosecutor asked.
Mr Feest added: “I can’t let her or them ‘torment Kayley’ – I want to suggest that this is an accurate expression of why you went around to your neighbours that night. I’m going to suggest that’s the truth.”
During his time at the police station, Reeves initially seemed confused, introducing himself as "Lance Corporal Reeves, sir" while also providing his service number. Despite this, two forensic psychiatrists concluded that Reeves was not suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or psychosis.
But they did diagnose him with moderate and mild depression. They noted he could be suffering from "dissociative amnesia" - a common condition in perpetrators of domestic homicide who can't process what they have done.
Dr John Sandford, for the prosecution, said: “This is nothing to do with depression – it’s a reaction to a traumatic act, something that is usually a reaction to something you’ve done rather than something done to you.” Mr Justice Garnham adjourned Reeves’ sentencing hearing until Tuesday.
In a statement, the Chapples’ loved ones said: “No verdict will bring back our beautiful Jennifer and Stephen. If anything, these past 10 days have prolonged us finding out how Jennifer and Stephen spent their final moments.”
They added: “We will now focus on Jennifer and Stephen’s beautiful boys, helping them to live the life that Jennifer and Stephen would have wished for them.”
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