‘Cowardly’ Aaron McKenzie guilty of murdering his 33-week pregnant ex and killing her unborn baby in Thornton Heath

An ex-boyfriend has been found guilty of murdering his 33-week pregnant former partner and causing the death of her unborn baby in Thornton Heath by breaking into her bedroom and stabbing her 21 times.

Aaron McKenzie, 26, broke into the family home of Kelly Fauvrelle in Raymead Avenue, Thornton Heath as she slept in the ground-floor bedroom they once shared.

Tragically, Kelly’s baby Riley was delivered by caesarean and taken to hospital but died four days later.

Claire Mays, Crown Prosecution Service prosecutor, described the attack as a “vicious and cowardly attack on a heavily pregnant woman, borne out of jealousy”.

On Friday, July 10, McKenzie was convicted by a jury at the Old Bailey of a count of murder and manslaughter – in relation to his unborn child – as well as having an offensive weapon.

McKenzie, of Peckham, launched the knife attack in the early hours of June 29 last year, as Kelly slept.

She had ended their relationship more than four months before her death and had met someone else at Royal Mail, where she worked.

Shortly before the attack McKenzie had been going through her emails when he spotted a confirmation order for some menswear clothing.

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Enraged, he rode a motorbike from a friend’s house in Honour Oak to Thornton Heath before sneaking into the house just after 3.15am.

After the terrible knife attack, McKenzie managed to escape before his victim had been found by her family with catastrophic injuries.

Shockingly, later that day he even turned up for a driving lesson later that day as if nothing had happened.

When questioned by police, McKenzie gave them various false accounts of his whereabouts and claimed his innocence before finally admitting the attack in a police interview.

Mrs Mays added: “Aaron McKenzie murdered his ex-girlfriend and in turn also killed their child Riley.

“Just hours after carrying out the attack, McKenzie went for a driving lesson as if nothing had happened.

“The prosecution evidence included a confession McKenzie had made to police officers taking responsibility for the killings before he decided to change his story and blame his actions on his learning difficulties and depression.

“By choosing to take this tragic case to trial McKenzie took the family of his victim through the heartbreak and ordeal of listening to all of his lies and the damning evidence against someone who had once been a part of their family.

“Although nothing can bring back Kelly and Riley, I hope these convictions provide some comfort to the family. Our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time.”

McKenzie is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on July 17.