A woman trained in human dissection is said to have killed and decapitated her church-going friend and then dumped the body more than 200 miles away in Devon woods, a court has heard.
Osteopath Jemma Mitchell, 38, is accused of murdering 67-year-old Mee Kuen Chong, who was known as Deborah, in a falling out over money in June last year.
Ms Chong was reported missing from her home in Wembley, north London, on June 11 and her headless body was found by holidaymakers near the Devon town of Salcombe on June 27.
As they walked back to their holiday cottage from the beach, they made a gruesome discovery - the headless body of a woman— Deanna Heer KC
Opening Mitchell’s Old Bailey trial on Tuesday, Deanna Heer KC said: “It is the prosecution case that she assaulted and killed the deceased and then transported her body to Salcombe in a large blue suitcase where she attempted to dispose of it in the woods next to Bennett Road.”
Ms Heer told how the victim’s body was found by a woman out for a walk with her family on Sunday, June 27.
“As they walked back to their holiday cottage from the beach, they made a gruesome discovery – the headless body of a woman.”
On finding the remains lying at the bottom of some steps on a public footpath, the woman called police, the area was cordoned off and an extensive search began.
On July 1, the head was discovered around 10 metres away further down the hill in undergrowth.
A post-mortem examination was unable to determine the cause of death due to the degree of decomposition, Ms Heer said.
However, the torso appeared to have been cut and there were signs of assault, with a skull fracture suggesting “significant impact by a blunt object very shortly before death”.
Ms Heer said Mitchell befriended the victim through church and had visited her on the day she went missing.
She told jurors: “Although they were friendly, the evidence suggests that they had recently fallen out over money.”
Shortly after 1pm that day, Mitchell was allegedly captured on CCTV walking from Ms Chong’s house with two suitcases.
Ms Heer said: “The larger of the two was obviously very heavy and difficult to manoeuvre.
“It is the prosecution case that it contained the body of Mee Kuen Chong.”
It is alleged Mitchell then travelled to Salcombe with the suitcase on June 26 in a rented grey Volvo.
The vehicle was allegedly captured on CCTV driving towards the area of woodland where Ms Chong’s body was found the next day.
Jurors were told that Mitchell was born in Australia where her mother worked for the Foreign Office.
She had studied Human Sciences at Kings College London where she gained a first class degree and a special prize for anatomical excellence, the court heard.
She went on to study osteopathy and her professional website stated that as a result of her training she was “attuned to subjects in neuroanatomy, genetics and dissection of human cadavers”.
Having practiced for seven years in Australia, she returned to Britain in 2015 and has not worked since, the court was told.
At the time of the killing, Mitchell was living with her mother at a family home in Brent, north west London, which was in a state of disrepair.
The property had no roof and was covered in scaffolding due to an ill-fated renovation project, jurors were told.
Ms Chong was described as vulnerable and prone to erratic behaviour.
Last year, her mental state deteriorated and she was referred to the local community mental health team because she kept sending letters to the then-Prince Charles and Boris Johnson, jurors heard.
Devout Christian Mitchell had allegedly discussed with the victim her will and who would inherit her house.
In one email, Ms Chong allegedly told the defendant: “I am honoured to have you as my sister, accept me as your friend and advise me…”
It is claimed the victim agreed to hand over £200,000 to help with Mitchell’s house repairs but later had a change of heart.
Mitchell, of Brondesbury Park, Brent, north-west London, denies murdering Ms Chong on a date between June 10 and 27 last year.
The trial continues.
