She was Raped, Stabbed 56 times & SET ON FIRE

Sasha Marsden, a 16-year-old student, aspired to pursue a career in child care at the prestigious Filed College. It takes a particular type of individual to feel drawn towards caring for children - someone who is nurturing, patient, kind, and empathetic. These adjectives perfectly describe Sasha. Sasha hailed from a loving family in Blackpool and was born to Jane and Gary Marsden. She had two sisters, Gemma and Katie. Described as an attractive and bright young woman, Sasha had a promising future ahead of her. Her older sister, Gemma, affectionately called her cheeky and caring, noting that Sasha was always by her side as her little sister.

Unfortunately, Sasha's past experiences had a significant impact on her. At the age of 14, she had endured a traumatizing assault, causing her to struggle immensely as she grew older. She frequently experienced anxiety, ran away from home, and faced academic difficulties. Dealing with the pain she had endured, along with the lack of justice served to her attacker, posed significant challenges for Sasha. Despite these struggles, Sasha was determined to make a difference in the world. This resolve prompted her to enroll at Filed College, where she aspired to become a caregiver and educator. Her motivation stemmed from the desire to create a better life for herself, refusing to let her assailant have any more power over her.

For those unfamiliar with the UK, Blackpool is a seaside town located in Lancashire, England. It acts as a renowned vacation spot and is famous for its beautiful beaches, tower, zoo, and gardens. In the summer, Blackpool thrives on tourism, earning the distinction of being the Stag and Hen party capital of the UK. However, beyond the sunshine and smiles, Blackpool faces harsh winters.

During the winter, Sasha Marsden diligently focused on her college studies at Filed College. She also dedicated time to searching for a job to make some extra money. Unfortunately, in a town that relied heavily on summer tourism, businesses slowed down during the winter months, leading to reluctance in hiring new employees. Fortunately, Sasha had crossed paths with a man named David Minto through a mutual friend. David, a 23-year-old barman and groundskeeper, worked at the Grafton House Hotel, a cozy retreat owned by his girlfriend and her mother.

Impressed by Sasha's demeanor, David believed she would be a perfect fit for a job at their hotel. Despite the winter season, Sasha was offered a position as a cleaner, providing her with an opportunity to earn additional income. This was made possible due to David's girlfriend, Rachel, being away for work. Sasha received a message from Minto, her former colleague, on Facebook, offering her a new job opportunity. He invited her to come over the next day, so he could explain the details. Excitedly, Sasha accepted the offer without hesitation. It seemed completely normal when Minto asked if it would just be her, as he admitted feeling nervous around new people. They made plans to meet at the hotel the next day.

On January 31st, in 2013, Sasha's father, Gary, dropped her off at a shoe store near the Grafton House Hotel. Sasha assured him that she would let him know when she was ready to be picked up. Gary returned home to his wife, and the day went on as usual. However, he was prepared to pick up Sasha once she messaged him. But as 8 PM approached, her parents grew increasingly worried. They tried calling and texting her, but to no avail.

Instead of panicking, Sasha's parents decided to contact her boyfriend, Danny. Perhaps he already went to pick her up. Unfortunately, Danny had not seen or heard from Sasha either. This caused a sense of foreboding in their hearts. Realizing they needed to find out where Sasha was working, they sought the help of social media. Luckily, Danny knew Sasha's Facebook password, which allowed them to find out the name of the hotel.

They immediately got into the car and drove to the hotel. As they entered the building, they found David Minto, the man who had hired Sasha, at the front desk. They approached him and questioned if Sasha was ready to leave. Much to their surprise, David revealed that Sasha had already left for the night. This was alarming news since Sasha had no means of transportation except for her parents or Danny. Even though she had disappeared before, this time it felt different. They thought that part of her life was behind her.

Hours passed with no news, and by 11 PM, Jane and Gary Marsden knew something was terribly wrong. They made the difficult decision to report Sasha missing to the police. The investigators carefully gathered all the necessary information from Sasha's parents, including her description and her last known location at the Grafton House Hotel. Having just received a case about a fire behind the Grafton House Hotel, investigators couldn't ignore the potential connection to Sasha. Earlier, a neighbor had discovered the fire in the alleyway, triggering the smoke alarms. Witnesses recalled a man and woman observing the commotion, with the man claiming it was a mannequin that had been set on fire. This man, David Minto, was accompanied by his girlfriend, Rachel Butterworth.

As the neighbor tried to extinguish the fire, it became evident that the "mannequin" was actually a real person, wrapped in garbage bags and scraps of carpeting and bedding. The body was in such a state that visual identification was impossible. To determine the victim's identity, the investigators resorted to using Sasha's toothbrush, which allowed them to match her DNA to that of the body found in the alleyway. Sasha had been brutally assaulted with 58 wounds to her head and neck, inflicted with a sharp object.

The main suspect linked to Sasha was David Minto, who had hired her. Consequently, both David and Rachel were arrested for her attack. Prior to questioning the suspects, the police thoroughly investigated the hotel and the alleyway. They discovered a significant amount of Sasha's DNA, particularly in the form of blood, in the alleyway, hotel halls, and bathtub. Additionally, DNA was found on a knife within the hotel, which was later confirmed to be the weapon used in Sasha's assault. Furthermore, Sasha's clothes, purse, and phone were recovered inside the hotel.

During questioning, Rachel denied any knowledge of the events from that night. She stated that she had arrived at the hotel around 9pm and noticed a strong smell of bleach in the air. David explained that he had accidentally cut himself and spilled blood on the carpet, leading him to use bleach to clean it up effectively. Rachel claimed to be unaware of David's contact with Sasha, his employment of her services, or his invitation for her to come to the hotel that day. In fact, David had no authority to hire or pay anyone and had no involvement in the business or access to the bank account.

The police found Rachel's account credible, subsequently releasing her from custody and shifting their focus solely to David Minto. The evidence against him was substantial, but it was his confession that ultimately sealed his fate. Despite the daunting evidence stacked against him, David With vehement denial, he distanced himself from any connection to Sasha's demise. According to his narrative, Sasha had arrived at the hotel to commence her first day of cleaning. While there, she aggressively made intimate advances towards him, almost forcing him into a charged situation. Eventually, he yielded to her advances, engaging in consensual relations on the hotel room floor. He claimed that she had experienced a nosebleed during the encounter, accounting for the presence of red fluid discovered at the scene. He maintained that this was the last time he had seen her, when she was alive and well. Despite the inability to elicit a confession, investigators were confident enough to charge David Minto with ferociously ending Sasha's life. Police described the scene as one of the most horrendous they had ever scrutinized. As the trial preparations progressed, evidence against David continued to mount. CCTV footage captured Sasha entering the hotel with David Minto, but she was never seen leaving. Even if she had departed, it seemed unlikely that she would have abandoned her belongings—clothes, phone, and purse. Furthermore, a search of Sasha's phone revealed two drafted, unsent text messages. The first message, composed at 4:58, requested her boyfriend's father to pick her up from Madame TC swords, a nearby wax figure museum. This was peculiar because Sasha knew that her boyfriend's father was currently out of town. The second draft, written at 4:59, was meant for Danny and expressed love while asking him to relay the message to Dad, requesting a pick-up from Madame Two Swords. Equally strange was the absence of prior text communication between the couple, who rarely relied on such means of contact. The deduction quickly followed that Sasha had not authored these messages at all—they were the work of her assailant. Another piece of bewildering evidence emerged. The hotel, being closed for renovations during the winter months, had no reason to employ Sasha without the owner's knowledge. Such a circumstance was nonsensical and, at the very least, suspect. On July 15, 2013, David Minto's trial commenced. The prosecution ardently presented their interpretation of events—when Sasha rejected Minto's advances, he succumbed to a frenzied rage, defiling her body and subsequently setting fire to the scene. As for the defense, David's account had evolved since his initial discussion with the police. His new narrative posited that their relations had indeed been consensual.

That fateful evening, inside the hotel, it was revealed that she had indeed passed away after their intimate encounter in the hotel room. He mentioned that they had parted ways afterwards, with Sasha heading home and David staying behind to tidy up. Some time later, David came across Sasha's body in a hotel corridor, stating that he found her brutalized and violated by an unidentified intruder. In a state of shock and disarray, he moved the body to the back alleyway behind the hotel, driven by a nauseating feeling caused by the sight of her. The defense argued that the actual assailant was still at large in the streets, while the prosecution focused on an innocent bystander. Dismissing these claims, the prosecution confidently presented overwhelming evidence against Minto, hoping it would be enough. Eleven days later, the jury began deliberations and within three hours, a unanimous decision was reached. David Minto was found guilty for his actions against Sasha Marsden and was sentenced to a minimum of 35 years in prison. The judge had scathing words for him, condemning his heinous and prolonged acts, highlighting the absence of any humanity within him. Sasha's family is determined to ensure that David Minto never sees freedom again. Katie, Sasha's sister, is prepared to fight relentlessly to keep Minto incarcerated indefinitely, asserting that he will be 57 years old when he potentially gets released, and firmly believing he will harm someone else once more. Minto displayed no remorse or sorrow during court proceedings, even taking selfies on his phone while Sasha's lifeless body laid nearby.