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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Rory Cassidy

Vain Scots knife killer gets fake tan and make up to glam up in prison

A female killer scrambled to get fake tan and make up in prison so she could glam up while in jail for murder.

Stephanie Bowie, who was caged for 16 years on Thursday over the killing of Darren Russell, is able to get the bronzer and other cosmetics delivered to her cell.

The thug stabbed her 21-year-old victim twice in the chest after chillingly warning "I am going to f***ing kill you" - then yelled "yes" after striking the fatal blow.

Using a knife she'd hid up her sleeve, she cut through the artery which carries blood to the lungs, triggering massive blood loss.

She then ditched the murder weapon and the jacket she'd been wearing and altered her hairstyle to try and avoid detection.

But she was quickly tracked down by cops and arrested and charged over the attack.

The 29-year-old, who is a natural brunette and dyes her hair blonde, regularly updated her social media accounts with pictures of her looking glamorous before her arrest.

A police mugshot taken after she was detained over Mr Russell's death, which followed a Hogmanay drinking session, shows her looking bedraggled.

Darren Russell, 21, was stabbed twice in the chest on New Year's Day, 2021. (Instagram)

And jail sources say her main concern once being remanded in custody was ensuring she looked her best while banged up.

One said: "Stephanie is always someone who's taken pride in her appearance and if she was heading out she was always dolled up to the max.

"Her social media accounts were littered with pics of her posing when she had a full face of make up on.

"She would never miss the chance of a posed pic or a selfie when she was done up to the nines.

"When she got remanded all she cared about was still being able to get her fake tan and her cosmetics.

"And she made sure as soon as she was in there that they were some of the first things she bought.

Stephanie Bowie's police mugshot. (Police Scotland)

"She wants to try and make sure she always looks the same on the inside as she did on the outside."

Another said: "Stephanie is a pretty girl and always made sure she looked her best.

"The police mugshot was taken after she'd been on a bender at Hogmanay, murdered a guy and then been arrested, questioned and charged over it.

"She was mortified with how she looked in the picture and the fact it was plastered everywhere when she got convicted.

"She was telling everyone she 'looks like a bag of washing' in the picture.

"That shows just how vain she is and how much she cares about her appearance.

"It's no surprise her main thought when locked up was getting fake tan and make up.

"The fact that poor Darren was murdered also shows how vain she is, it all stemmed from an argument with her brother.

"She took it as her brother had been disrespected and she has such an ego that she couldn't handle that and felt she had to do something about it."

A Scottish Prison Service spokesperson said: "Those in our care are permitted to make purchases from their wages for approved sundry items from approved suppliers."

Other sundry items prisoners are allowed to buy include newspapers, DVDs and fruit.

Bowie stabbed Mr Russell to death in his home town of Erskine, Renfrewshire, on New Year's Day 2021.

The High Court in Glasgow heard she took a taxi from Paisley to Erskine, armed with a knife, and threatened Darren before striking.

His friend helped him back to the home he shared with his parents nearby, but he lost consciousness due to the huge blood loss and passed away.

Bowie gave evidence, admitting she had killed Darren but claiming it had been an accident.

But the jury convicted her of murder, possession of a knife, and attempting to defeat the ends of justice.

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