A real crime-obsessed mom who had pictures of serial killers like Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer framed on her walls smiled as she was convicted of killing her boyfriend in a crazed stabbing attack.
‘Manipulative and jealous’ Shaye Groves, 27, faces life in prison for stabbing father-of-two Frankie Fitzgerald 22 times in his sleep after seeing him texting a teenager.
The five-week trial found the couple shared a common interest in BDSM, and a camera was set up in the killer’s bedroom at their home in Havant, Hampshire, to record them having sex.
On her walls, Groves had framed pictures of serial killers crying blood, including Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, Moors killer Myra Hindley, and incestuous serial killer Rose West.
She also collected books about gangsters, including notorious prisoner Charles Bronson, and was a fan of true crime documentaries.
Jurors were told the 27-year-old, who called a friend “giggling” after killing Mr Fitzgerald – and showed his body with the caption “I finished him off” – had previously threatened to make his life “a misery ‘ by posting videos of alleged sexual abuse that later turned out to be a hoax.
Groves then attempted to cover her tracks with a “fake alibi” by calling her friend.
A jury at Winchester Crown Court today found Groves guilty of murder after deliberating for almost 18 hours.
Wearing a denim jacket with a large pentagram on the back and tattoos on her face, Groves was smiling as she was brought into cells after the unanimous verdict.
Groves was “obsessed” with her 25-year-old lover’s “performing in the bedroom,” and the couple’s sex life included bondage, dominance, submission and masochism, a court heard
Shaye Groves’ bedroom wall (pictured above) features images of serial killers. The true crime fan had framed pictures of serial killers Myra Hindley, Rose West and Jeffrey Dahmer
Shaye claimed during her trial that she stabbed Frankie Fitzgerald (pictured) in self-defense
Speaking to the jury, the Honorable Mr. Justice Tim Kerr said: “It only remains for me to thank you for your dedication and your work on this case.
‘We miss him more than anything in the world’: Victim’s parents pay tribute to ‘shining light’ as police blow up ‘horrible’ killings
After the verdict, Frankie Fitzgerald’s parents described the father-of-two as a “shining light” and said they missed him “more than anything in this world.”
In a statement, they said: “As a parent you never expect your children to survive, you will do everything in your power to protect them.
“Frankie was our baby, the youngest of five children, he can never be replaced. He was a kind and beautiful person and sadly leaves behind two children who will never know their father.
“We would like to thank the jury for their decision today.
“To our Frankie, we love and miss you more than anything in this world. Your shining light will always be in our hearts.’
Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Burton, Hampshire Police’s lead investigator in the case, described his murder as “terrifying and disturbing”.
She said: “Our thoughts are first and foremost with Frankie Fitzgerald’s family.
“I want to commend their bravery and hope that today’s verdict brings them a small measure of relief even as they know that nothing can fill the void that the loss of Frankie has left in their family.
“I hope that the verdict that Groves receives when the time comes will give them reassurance that justice has been done to Frankie.
“We will do everything in our power to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for such horrific crimes – the details released in court were worrying for everyone.
“I am pleased that the jury has reached this verdict after the tireless work of our local police teams, detectives, specialist teams and the prosecutor’s office.
“I would encourage any victim of domestic violence to find the courage to come forward and tell us about it.”
“This has been a long and difficult case in which you have heard some harrowing evidence.
“I propose that you be suspended from jury duty for eight years, starting today. Personally, as a judge and as an institution, I am deeply grateful to you. My heartfelt and heartfelt thanks.’
Groves will be sentenced next week.
During the trial, jurors heard that “pagan” Groves bought a Celtic dagger that was later used to stab Mr. Fitzgerald, 25, for their “rituals” and that it “strengthened spiritual connections.”
Alongside posters of hit men like Rose West and Ted Bundy, Groves had a coffin-shaped bookshelf and four ‘decorative’ knives – featuring depictions of movie villains Chucky, Jigsaw and Pennywise – which she and Mr. Fitzgerald used for ‘knife games’ in the bedroom.
She was such a horror movie fan that she nicknamed her roommate Lauren White Chucky, a vicious serial killer doll from the slasher film series Child’s Play.
A friend of Groves said the pair “joked” about Mr Fitzgerald ending up “on the wall” as there was “room for him”.
Prosecutor Steven Perian KC opened the case, saying of Groves and her lover, “Their sex life involved bondage, dominance submission and masochism – BDSM.
“She was probably obsessed with Frankie Fitzgerald because of his performance in the bedroom.
“The charge is that the defendant is a manipulative, possessive and jealous woman.
“The murder was very likely a crime of passion driven by her jealousy.”
Afterwards, Groves video-called her friend Vikki Baitup, “giggled” and “admitted” the murder.
Mr Perian KC told jurors about the call and continued: “The defendant went into the bedroom three times and showed the body of Frankie Fitzgerald covered with a bed sheet.
“She said they were in bed together and Frankie Fitzgerald was asleep.
“The defendant went through his messages and saw that he had been talking to a 13-year-old girl and while Mr Fitzgerald was sleeping she stuck a dagger down his throat to wake him up.
“He moved and they started fighting.”
He continued: “While the defendant was on video chat, she could be seen cleaning the bookshelf with blood on it. She showed a book and showed bloodstains.
Ms Baitup recalled at some point during the video chat Ms White saying “I’m going to crack”.
“The defendant said to Ms. White: ‘You can’t crack, you’re an accomplice, you put the garbage bags under his body.’
The court heard Groves sent a message to Ms Baitup to create a “false alibi” to “cover her ass” where she claimed Mr Fitzgerald “walked out on her” and that it was between them ” over”. two of you.
On the phone with Ms Baitup, Groves explained her logic, saying Mr Fitzgerald was “suicidal anyway” and “it was fine, they’ll just assume he left and committed suicide”.
A BB gun that Shaye Groves keeps in a closet drawer (pictured above)
The dagger found in Shaye Groves’ sink (pictured above)
“When asked what she was going to do with the body, the defendant replied, ‘It’s okay, we’re going to bury her in the back garden,'” Mr Perian said.
A pathologist’s report revealed Mr Fitzgerald was stabbed 17 times in the chest, twice in other areas of the chest and three times in the neck – resulting in his death from “multiple perforations of the heart and lungs” and “catastrophic blood loss”.
Footage of officers arriving at the scene was played to the court, which reported an “incredibly strong” smell of bleach in the bedroom.
Groves could be heard saying, “He tried to attack me, it’s not the first time, I have video footage of him raping me and beating me.”
The couple had set up a camera in the bedroom, which caught them having sex – the footage Groves allegedly blackmailed lovers and claimed Mr Fitzgerald had abused.
However, Mr Perian highlighted a recording that showed the activity was “consensual” because they had spoken “red light” over their “safe word”.
The court heard that “cunning and shrewd” Groves had spoken to friends about putting Mr Fitzgerald “down a dark alley” and “getting away” with murder and had been violent towards Ms White and only calmed down when she was “a saw a bit of blood”. .
Shaye Groves, 27, has been found guilty of the murder of her on-off boyfriend Frankie Fitzgerald at Winchester Crown Court
Groves was such a horror movie fan that she nicknamed her roommate Lauren White Chucky – a vicious serial killer from the slasher film series Child’s Play.
Mr Perian said: “The defendant had a lot of gangster books like Charles Bronson and has pictures of serial killers in frames on her wall and watches murder documentaries.
“The Crown says she was familiar from reading and watching these things: a crime scene, how to create a fake narrative, and how to create a fake alibi.”
Regarding Groves’ self-defense claims, Mr Perian said: “If the murder was in self-defense, why would you set yourself up such an elaborate false alibi? Why didn’t she call the police immediately? Why did she clean up the crime scene? Why did she move the body?
“It was a cunning trick – nothing was affecting her sanity at the time.”
Giving evidence, Groves said she had the serial killer posters because she thought they looked “pretty cool” and attacked Mr. Fitzgerald because she thought he was “strangling me to death” after she saw that he had texted a teenager and he had attacked her.
Who Was Jeffrey Dahmer?
Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer, also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal or the Milwaukee Monster, was an American serial killer and sex offender.
Between 1978 and 1991 he raped, murdered and cannibalized 17 young men in Wisconsin and Ohio.
In 1978, Jeffrey murdered his first victim, hitchhiker Steven Hicks, where he strangled him with a barbell.
By the time he was finally caught, Jeffrey had killed 17 men and boys, including; Joseph Bradehoft, 25, Jamie Doxtator, 14, Richard Guerrero, 25, Anthony Hughes, 31, Oliver Lacy, 23, and many others.
Dahmer was eventually charged with 15 counts of first-degree murder during his 1992 trial in Milwaukee.
He was taken to Columbia Correctional Institution.
After his conviction, he was murdered in prison two years later at the age of 34.
Monsters: Between 1978 and 1991, Jeffrey Dahmer raped, murdered, and cannibalized 17 young men in Wisconsin and Ohio. He was convicted in 1992 and murdered in prison two years later at the age of 34
She said: “I couldn’t breathe – I couldn’t even scream. I realized that he would not let go and I feared for my life.
“I grabbed an object on the bookshelf and punched him in the throat. I have a piggy bank there and figured if I hit him with it he would get away.
“He rolled down (…) and he got up and very slowly slid down the wall.
“The back of his neck gushed when he stopped moving.
“His chest wasn’t moving. It was just the noise. When that happened, I realized I had killed him.
“I was trying to stop the bubbling. I put my hand there but it didn’t do anything so I stabbed him in the heart.’
Groves will be sentenced at Winchester Crown Court next week.