Karl Hutchings, 48, killed Julie Buckley in his own living room and after the killing, he burned his blood spattered carpet and sofa cushions in his back garden in an attempt to hide the evidence.
Hutchings has been jailed for 21 years(Image: Cambridgeshire Constabulary / SWNS)
A man who murdered his friend and buried her dismembered body in a shallow grave has been jailed for 21 years.
Karl Hutchings, 48, killed Julie Buckley in his own living room in Christchurch, Cambridgeshire, on January 29 2025. After the killing, he burned his blood spattered carpet and sofa cushions in his back garden in an attempt to hide the evidence.
The next day, Hutchings drove to the One Stop convenience store in Manea, Cambridgeshire, in Julie’s car, and was spotted on CCTV using her bank card to buy two meal deals, alcohol and cleaning products.
The court heard Hutchings murdered Julie, who had been staying with him at the time, in a row over drugs.
He admitted murder and revealed he had disposed of her body in a field in Wimblington, Cambridgeshire and following his trial ending on July 9, Hutchings was sentenced to 21 years and one month in prison.
Judge Mark Bishop told Hutchings: “Having taken her life, you deprived her of any dignity in death.”
The last sighting of Julie was shown in court(Image: Cambridgeshire Constabulary / SWNS)
He added: “I accept you did not plan to kill Miss Buckley and I accept you had your own mental health vulnerabilities.”
Speaking about the investigation, Judge Bishop said the preparation and investigation into the case was “extensive” and commended “officers for the work that’s been done”.
Detective Chief Inspector Rich Stott, who led the investigation, said: “Today’s result is the culmination of months of hard work from the investigating team and the many experts who have assisted in the case.
“A murder investigation without a body is extremely challenging, but the team worked tirelessly to gather significant and compelling evidence, putting pressure on Hutchings to finally reveal the truth.
“The cold-blooded brutality of Julie’s death and subsequent disposal of her body is something that will stay with me and all my team for a very long time.
“These kinds of investigations never get any easier, but we remain steadfast in our determination to bring those responsible to justice.
“Julie was a well-known member of her community – she was a mother, a friend and a neighbour and will be greatly missed. Nobody should meet their end in this way.”
Julie was murdered and left in a shallow grave(Image: Cambridgeshire Constabulary / SWNS)
He added: “Hutchings’ deceit and the efforts he made to conceal his crimes were truly abhorrent, but I’m glad he finally saw sense and confessed, saving Julie’s family the trauma of a trial.
“Our thoughts are with Julie’s loved ones and friends at this difficult time. While today’s result cannot bring her back, we hope it provides some reassurance and closure for them, and they feel justice has been done.”
Concerns were first raised about Julie after she failed to turn up for an appointment at March police station.
Officers discovered the last confirmed sighting of her was on January 28 last year when she was seen on CCTV at a supermarket. Julie had been staying with Hutchings and, when officers searched his house, they found a significant amount of blood in the living room.
Detectives from the Beds, Cambs and Herts Major Crime Unit announced in February last year they were treating Julie’s disappearance as a murder investigation.
Officers discovered Julie had put in a prescription request at her doctor’s surgery on January 28, but it was never collected.
Julie’s phone showed she had sent a message to a friend on January 29, claiming Hutchings was getting angry when she questioned him about the whereabouts of some drugs. This is believed to have been the last message or communication she made from her phone.
Police strongly believed Julie, who had been staying with Hutchings, had been murdered, but they were yet to find a body.
They continued to gather further evidence, including eye-witness accounts of Hutchings disposing of and selling items belonging to Julie, including clothing and jewellery, and her car.
It was not until Hutchings’ charge and guilty plea that he revealed the location of her body.
A post-mortem examination was inconclusive, but it is believed Julie likely died from blunt force trauma.
