Shivangi Sinha
In April 2023, Ellie Baxter visited her parents, Stephen and Carol Baxter, at their home in Essex. She was worried because they had failed to respond to her calls. Upon entering, she found both of them unconscious and unresponsive. Police arrived and initially considered suicide or an accidental death. However, toxicology reports later revealed the couple had died from a fentanyl overdose, prompting authorities to suspect foul play. The case and the eventual identification of the killer are explored in detail in Discovery+’s episode of ‘999 Murderer Calling’ titled ‘The Fentanyl Killer.’
Carol and Stephen Baxter’s Daughter Suspected Their Death Had Been an Accident
Stephen and Carol Baxter had cultivated a fulfilling and comfortable life in West Mersea, Essex. The couple had been married since 2000 and shared a daughter, Ellie Baxter. With Ellie having moved out to start her own family, Stephen and Carol enjoyed a quieter life, spending time at home and planning their retirement. They had worked tirelessly over the years and looked forward to a future of relaxation and enjoyment. Stephen held a prestigious role as the Global Lead for Operational Risk and Assurance at the real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle, where his expertise was highly valued. Meanwhile, Carol pursued her entrepreneurial ambitions.
Carol had launched her own bathroom accessories company, Cazsplash Ltd, which quickly gained traction and became a successful venture. Stephen eventually joined her as a partner in the business, and together, they managed to generate enough returns to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. By 2023, their family life was thriving. They had one grandson and were eagerly awaiting the arrival of their second grandchild. However, on April 9, 2023, Ellie grew concerned after being unable to reach her parents for over a day. At around 1 pm, she decided to visit their home in West Mersea, Essex. Upon entering, she discovered that both Stephen, 61, and Carol, 64, had passed away.
The police responded promptly to the scene and noted that both Stephen and Carol’s bodies showed signs of lividity, appearing blue and stiffened. Ellie, suspecting carbon monoxide poisoning, had opened the windows and doors, but the police found no evidence of gas leaks in the home. Their bodies were sent for a postmortem examination while family and friends anxiously awaited answers. It was not until July 2023 that the toxicology reports revealed the cause of death: a fentanyl overdose on April 7. Given that neither of them had a history of drug use, the police immediately suspected foul play.
The Killer Had Been Manipulating Them For Years
The first person the police investigated was Luke D’Wit, a young man who had been present at the scene where Stephen and Carol Baxter’s bodies were found. Luke was the one who made the 999 call, suggesting an accidental gas leak as the potential cause. He introduced himself as a family friend of the Baxters, claiming a close relationship with the couple. Luke first met Carol in 2014 when she was searching for an IT consultant to help with her business. He assisted in designing her website and maintained regular contact with the family. Living near their home, he frequently visited to help with household chores and provide support, particularly as Carol managed her Hashimoto’s disease.
The police reviewed surveillance footage from the Baxters’ home and discovered that the last person to visit them before their deaths was Luke. He was seen leaving through the main door. On the day the couple’s bodies were found, authorities also uncovered a recently drafted will from early 2023. The document stipulated that upon Carol and Stephen’s passing, their company would be handed over to their daughter, Ellie, with Luke assigned an executive role. Furthermore, the will specified that once Ellie turned 30, Luke would hold a 50% share in the company, and Ellie would have no authority to remove him. Given his apparent financial gain from the couple’s deaths, the police grew increasingly suspicious of his involvement.
When the police executed a search warrant at Luke’s residence, they uncovered over 80 devices that revealed his elaborate scheme. Evidence showed he had been manipulating Carol for years, frequently interacting with her in disguise and administering random medications and treatments to maintain his deception. Fentanyl patches found in his home matched the batch number of those discovered at the Baxter residence. Additionally, investigators found that he had installed a mobile surveillance system in the Baxters’ home. Police theorized that after administering the drug, he monitored the couple from his house, tracking the timing and circumstances of their deaths.
Luke D’Wit is Serving His Sentence in Prison Today
Luke D’Wit’s trial began in March 2024, during which prosecutors alleged that he had acted with sadistic intent. They claimed he had inserted a pin into Carol Baxter’s food, which was later surgically removed while she was still alive. They said that a box of identical pins was discovered in his home. Prosecutors aimed to establish a pattern of malicious behavior, arguing that his actions were driven by a desire to make Stephen and Carol miserable. The jury found him guilty of murder, sentencing him to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 37 years. Now 34, Luke remains in custody at His Majesty’s Prison and is not eligible for release for decades.
