Unlawful killing verdict on West Bromwich girl strangled by stepfather

Mar 4 2010 Birmingham Post

The last thing she said to her was to have a nice time. Ms Lawrence said she spoke to her daughter and Walker several times during Friday morning and last heard Stacey’s voice in the background during a conversation with Walker just after 7pm that evening.

“Stacey sounded happy and gave me no cause for concern.”

The inquest heard that she became concerned on Saturday when she did not hear from her fiance and daughter.

She contacted police and the AF Blakemore depot where Walker worked.

The lorry was then located using its GPS tracking system, and the police visited the scene and made the grim discovery.

Ms Lawrence said: “I can’t believe on that Friday morning Darren left our home address as the man I loved and by Saturday he was the man responsible for my daughter’s death.

“Darren was always so kind, not only to Stacey but to my whole family.

“I’m so shocked. I could never have seen anything like this ever happening. I hate Darren for what he has done to me and my family.”

Ms Lawrence did not attend the inquest of Darren Walker, at the same court last week, where a verdict of suicide was recorded.

In the same statement as was read to the court during her daughter’s inquest, Ms Lawrence said Walker had previously said he would rather kill himself than go to prison.

His body was found hanging in nearby woodland from a tree, tied with a ligature made from the same strapping he used to strangle Stacey.

In an additional statement at the inquest, Ms Lawrence said she was shown the strapping used in both deaths, and confirmed it was a rope Walker kept in the boot of his car.

She said: “He used to say he kept it there in case he needed to tow a car.”