Family friend poisoned parents; now serving life sentence

In April 2023, Ellie Baxter discovered a horrifying scene when she visited her parents, Carol and Stephen Baxter, at their home in Mersea, Essex. She found them dead in their chairs. This tragic event marked the beginning of a distressing story that would unfold over the following months. Ellie’s parents had been poisoned by a close family friend, Luke D'Wit. The Baxters had hired D'Wit as an IT expert to help with their business. Initially considered a trusted family member, he turned out to be a calculating criminal. Two months after the deaths, police arrested Ellie on suspicion of murder, while D'Wit was also questioned. He was later charged with the murders. During a trial that revealed D'Wit’s deceit, it emerged that he had poisoned the couple using fentanyl, a dangerous opioid. The detective assigned to the case described D'Wit as cold and dangerous. He had manipulated the Baxters for years, even creating fake online identities to further control and deceive them. Ellie recounted her horror in a podcast, describing how D'Wit’s betrayal shattered her family. She remembered how he had organized family events while secretly poisoning her mother. The investigation ultimately led to the discovery of D'Wit’s actions and intentions. He was sentenced to life in prison for his crimes. As Ellie continues to cope with her loss, she grapples with the traumatic memory of finding her parents' bodies and the realization that someone she trusted committed such a heinous act. She expressed that the emotional pain has been overwhelming but hopes to find some closure as time goes on.