Killer admits murdering girlfriend before decapitating and trying to dismember her in sick cover-up attempt
17 June 2025, 12:15
A man has admitted to slaughtering his 21-year-old girlfriend before decapitating her, texting her mother pretending to be her and searching for internet pornography on her phone.
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Ewan Methven, now 27, murdered Phoenix Spencer-Horn, 21, at a flat they shared in East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, on November 16 last year.
After killing the popular waitress, affectionately known as Phe by her loved ones, Methven attempted to dismember her, before posing as the 21-year-old to convince her mother she was still alive.
The couple had been together for two years and met at a family party, the High Court in Glasgow was told.
Appearing in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow today, Methven entered a guilty plea - admitting the murder of his young girlfriend.
Around midnight on the Saturday, Methven attacked Miss Spencer-Horn with three knives, stabbing her 20 times, before mutilating her body and severing her head with three knives, the court heard.
He spent the weekend driving Ms Spencer-Horn's red Corsa, scrolling through her phone and searching for internet pornography, as well as making several attempts to buy cocaine, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutor Christopher McKenna said: "The accused murdered his girlfriend, Phoenix Spencer-Horn, in the top-floor flat they shared. Late on Saturday November 16, he strangled her and stabbed her. He dialled 999 but not until November 18.
"Her mutilated and decapitated body was discovered only on November 18."
Phe had been in “good spirits” on the day of her murder and had seen her mother just a day earlier.
Mr McKenna said: "The police recovered texts between the accused and Phoenix, he complained of feeling lonely because of the hours she worked and he apologised."
Methven “did not appear drunk” when he answered the door to the delivery driver shortly before killing his partner
However, in a 999 call, he claimed that the murder happened when he had a psychotic episode induced by cocaine, alcohol and steroids.
On Tuesday, Methven pleaded guilty to murder and attempting to defeat the ends of justice at the High Court in Glasgow.
