Apapale Adoum, 39, must serve a minimum of 21 years in prison
A homeless man has been jailed for life after murdering a woman who invited him to stay in her home. A murder probe was launched in Coulter Road on February 9 after reports of a man trying to break into Victoria Adams’s flat at about 10.15pm.
Officers arrived and found Victoria’s body face down in a bedroom with a black bin bag over her head which was covered by a pillow. She had been struck 10 times on the back and side of her head with a mallet.
Apapale Adoum, 39, was initially arrested and charged with two counts of possessing an offensive weapon and later jailed for 42 weeks two days later on February 11.
But after Metropolitan Police analysis confirmed his link to Victoria’s death, he was re-arrested on June 5 and charged the following day. In court he admitted murdering the 36-year-old woman.
The Old Bailey heard how Victoria and Adoum had met while he was living in a homeless shelter. She had invited him to stay with her but later wrote a note to ask him to leave.
On Thursday, October 30, he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years.
Detective Chief Inspector Matt Denby, who led the investigation, said: “I hope that Adoum’s admission of guilt and long sentence is a small reprieve for Victoria’s family and friends.
“It is a tragedy that she was killed by Adoum after offering him a place to stay, and showing him kindness during his time of need. Victoria deserved better. Adoum’s plea is testament to the officers, who worked incredibly hard to build the evidence against him, leaving no doubt he was responsible for Victoria’s death.”
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