The boyfriend of a Vernon, B.C. woman who was stabbed to death just weeks after moving to the U.K. has been charged with murder.
Jack Sepple, 23, appeared in the Colchester magistrate on a murder charge Thursday, where his case was then referred to the Chelmsford Crown court. He will appear for a preliminary hearing on Friday, according to the court registry.
Court records indicate that Ashley Wadsworth, 19, was killed Feb. 1 at a home on Tennyson Road, Chelmsford, Essex.
Essex police were called to the home when neighbours reported a disturbance and shortly thereafter paramedics were called in.
Paramedics attempted to save her, according to the Essex police, but were unsuccessful. Media reports indicate Wadsworth was the victim of a stabbing.
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Det. Chief Insp. Scott Egerton with the Essex police offered assurances to the community where the crime occurred and noted that Sepple was the lone suspect.
“We have a team of dedicated officers working around the clock to establish the circumstances which led to a woman losing her life,” Egerton said.
“The investigation is progressing well, but we will remain on scene for a few more days whilst we continue to gather evidence and establish the facts.”
He has asked that anyone who had information contact their detachment.
Since news of her death was released, friends and family in Vernon have expressed their grief online, providing some insights into the teen.
“I’m sorry there wasn’t more I or anyone else could do to help you. But God has you in his hands now, we have you in our hearts forever,” said Tianna Kowalchuk, a friend of Wadsworth’s, in an online post.
Her sister, Hailey, described the teen as “our angel. Another family member said she was “a great kid, smart, spoke three languages and had scholarships… she was full of life.”
While UK reports indicate Wadsworth and Sepple had met online, those close to her said they met through a friend and had been speaking for years.
A woman from the Chelmsford, Essex, neighbourhood where Wadsworth was living has said that people have laid flowers and paid respects since the killing.