An Argentinian man accused of murdering a Crufts dog breeder took his own life a day before his scheduled court appearance, an inquest has concluded.
Details of the Incident
Alex Verdu Munoz, 26, was found unresponsive in his cell at HMP Manchester on the morning of May 15, 2022. He had been due to appear at crown court the following day via prison videolink to face charges including murder, aggravated burglary, burglary, possession of a bladed article, and dangerous driving.
Munoz left a handwritten note to his family, asking for forgiveness for “all the bad I have done.” A jury at Manchester Coroner’s Court recorded a conclusion of suicide on Wednesday.
Background of the Case
Munoz was accused of murdering 68-year-old Valerie Freer, a former Crufts star, at her home in Whittington, near Lichfield, Staffordshire, in February 2022. Mrs. Freer was found with neck injuries and her hands bound with cable ties on the drive of her home on the morning of February 24. An inquest in Staffordshire in December 2022 ruled she was unlawfully killed after being stabbed 16 times.
Munoz had rented an Airbnb in Whittington, and his hire car was seen near Mrs. Freer’s home around the time of death. A knife with her blood, along with lock-picking items, was found during a police search of the vehicle.
Prison Conditions and Contributing Factors
The inquest heard that Munoz arrived at HMP Manchester on crutches with a broken leg, sustained during a traffic collision while being arrested. He told staff the injury occurred as he was “making his escape.”
He was placed on suicide watch and later moved to another wing after receiving verbal abuse from inmates. However, he was not deemed a high risk of suicide but was subject to extra observations due to the nature of his offence, his first time in prison, and lack of family support as a foreign national.
HM Assistant Coroner for Manchester, Andrew Bridgman, stated that a post-mortem examination concluded the medical cause of death was hanging. The jury found that the verbal abuse he received and the lack of a key worker due to staff shortages possibly contributed to his death.
Impact on Family
Munoz’s sister, Madeleine Munoz, followed proceedings remotely from Argentina. The coroner apologised for the length of time taken for the inquest and offered condolences, describing the death as a “tremendous shock.”
It was not known whether Munoz intended to enter guilty or not guilty pleas at the hearing. He was arrested and charged on March 11, 2022, and remanded to HMP Dovegate before being transferred to HMP Manchester six days later.
In 2014, one of Mrs. Freer’s dogs, a Samoyed named Dan The Man, was runner-up in the Best in Show category at Crufts.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, the Samaritans can be contacted by calling free on 116 123, emailing jo@samaritans.org, or visiting samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.
