Man jailed for life over savage Devon murder and caravan arson
A man has been locked up for life at Plymouth Crown Court for the savage killing of Geoffrey Pearce in Devon on January 9, 2020.
Beaten, suffocated and his caravan set ablaze
Lewis Finch, 31, viciously attacked Mr Pearce by hitting him at least three times on the head with a heavy object — believed to be a pick-axe or claw hammer. Finch then suffocated him with a thick cable tie before setting fire to the victim’s caravan with the body inside.
The horrifying attack happened in Newton Poppleford, just eight miles from Exeter.
Chilling phone call reveals crime
In a shocking twist, Finch called his sister during the assault, admitting he had killed a man. The call came from Mr Pearce’s own phone. When Finch’s sister rang back the number, she heard Mr Pearce crying for help in the background.
Firefighters arriving on the scene found the burnt-out caravan and Mr Pearce’s remains inside.
Prosecution fights for justice
Alex Allsop of the CPS said: “Lewis Finch tried to plead guilty only to manslaughter, claiming loss of control or diminished responsibility.
“But the CPS proved Finch brutally murdered Mr Pearce and then set fire to his caravan to destroy evidence. I thank the brave witnesses who supported our case in difficult circumstances.”
Allsop added: “Finch kept changing his story as the evidence mounted. I’m glad justice has finally been served for this brutal murder.”
