Collin Reeves admitted manslaughter in the deaths of Jennifer and Stephen Chapple in Norton Fitzwarren on November 21, last year, but denied murdering them, claiming diminished responsibility at the time.
A jury, however, rejected his defence and accepted the prosecution’s case that his actions were intentional.
When he is sentenced on Tuesday, June 21, he will learn the minimum term he will serve in prison before being considered for parole.
During the trial, jurors were told that Reeves had a disagreement with Jennifer and Stephen about parking spaces outside their respective homes.
They were shown doorbell footage from 10 days before Reeves killed them, in which he repeatedly cursed at Jennifer, prompting her to express her displeasure on social media.
The altercation occurred weeks after Reeves had sat staring at Jennifer at her workplace, purposefully intimidating her.
The panel also heard Reeves’ wife tell police that she told her husband she wanted a trial separation moments before he climbed over their back garden fence and entered their neighbours’ home.
Reeves stabbed Jennifer and Stephen multiple times in their living room with a commemorative dagger given to him after he left the Army. He then climbed back over the fence and called police, explaining what he had done to a call handler.
Jennifer and Stephen’s children were sleeping upstairs while their parents were being attacked.
Reeves was arrested shortly after leaving his house by officers, and despite refusing to answer any questions in an interview, he was charged with two counts of murder three days later.
Following the conclusion of the trial, a statement from Jennifer and Stephen’s family was read outside the courtroom.
“No verdict will bring back our beautiful Jennifer and Stephen,” it said. If anything, the last ten days have extended our wait to learn how Jennifer and Stephen spent their final moments.
The love and support of our friends and family has gotten us through the last seven months.” The outpouring of love from Jennifer and Stephen’s friends demonstrates how much they were loved.
“We now request that we be allowed to process this in our own way, so that we can grieve properly and move forward as best we can.”
“We will now concentrate on Jennifer and Stephen’s beautiful boys, assisting them in living the lives that Jennifer and Stephen would have wanted for them.”
There are simply no words to fully describe the horrors Collin Reeves committed,” said Detective Inspector Neil Meade of our Major Crime Investigation Team.
My heart, and the hearts of everyone at Avon and Somerset Police, goes out to Jennifer and Stephen’s families, especially their two boys.
“He robbed them of their parents for reasons only Reeves knows, destroying the lives they knew in a matter of minutes.” His actions are incomprehensible.”
“Jennifer’s and Stephen’s families have shown incredible strength over the last few months,” DI Meade added.
Specialists family liaison officers have supported them throughout what has undoubtedly been a traumatic ordeal, and I’d like to thank them for their assistance with our investigation.
“I hope that now that the trial is over and Reeves has been brought to justice, they can find some closure.”
Following a trial at Bristol Crown Court, a 35-year-old man was found guilty of murdering his next-door neighbours.
Collin Reeves admitted manslaughter in the deaths of Jennifer and Stephen Chapple in Norton Fitzwarren on November 21, last year, but denied murdering them, claiming diminished responsibility at the time.
A jury, however, rejected his defence and accepted the prosecution’s case that his actions were intentional.
When he is sentenced on Tuesday, June 21, he will learn the minimum term he will serve in prison before being considered for parole.
During the trial, jurors were told that Reeves had a disagreement with Jennifer and Stephen about parking spaces outside their respective homes.
They were shown doorbell footage from 10 days before Reeves killed them, in which he repeatedly cursed at Jennifer, prompting her to express her displeasure on social media.
The altercation occurred weeks after Reeves had sat staring at Jennifer at her workplace, purposefully intimidating her.
The panel also heard Reeves’ wife tell police that she told her husband she wanted a trial separation moments before he climbed over their back garden fence and entered their neighbours’ home.
Reeves stabbed Jennifer and Stephen multiple times in their living room with a commemorative dagger given to him after he left the Army. He then climbed back over the fence and called police, explaining what he had done to a call handler.
Jennifer and Stephen’s children were sleeping upstairs while their parents were being attacked.
Reeves was arrested shortly after leaving his house by officers, and despite refusing to answer any questions in an interview, he was charged with two counts of murder three days later.
Following the conclusion of the trial, a statement from Jennifer and Stephen’s family was read outside the courtroom.
“No verdict will bring back our beautiful Jennifer and Stephen,” it said. If anything, the last ten days have extended our wait to learn how Jennifer and Stephen spent their final moments.
“The love and support of our friends and family has gotten us through the last seven months.” The outpouring of love from Jennifer and Stephen’s friends demonstrates how much they were loved.
“We now request that we be allowed to process this in our own way, so that we can grieve properly and move forward as best we can.”
“We will now concentrate on Jennifer and Stephen’s beautiful boys, assisting them in living the lives that Jennifer and Stephen would have wanted for them.”
“There are simply no words to fully describe the horrors Collin Reeves committed,” said Detective Inspector Neil Meade of our Major Crime Investigation Team.
My heart, and the hearts of everyone at Avon and Somerset Police, goes out to Jennifer and Stephen’s families, especially their two boys.
“He robbed them of their parents for reasons only Reeves knows, destroying the lives they knew in a matter of minutes.” His actions are incomprehensible.”
“Jennifer’s and Stephen’s families have shown incredible strength over the last few months,” DI Meade added.
“Specialists family liaison officers have supported them throughout what has undoubtedly been a traumatic ordeal, and I’d like to thank them for their assistance with our investigation.”
“I hope that now that the trial is over and Reeves has been brought to justice, they can find some closure.”
