Man Convicted of Murdering Ex-Fiancee at Surrey Hotel

James Cartwright, 61, has been found guilty of the rape and murder of his ex-fiancee, Samantha Mickleburgh, at the luxury Pennyhill Park Hotel in Surrey in April last year. Samantha, 54, had agreed to stay with Cartwright on his birthday, but she was found dead beside him in their twin room the next morning. The jury acquitted Cartwright of controlling or coercive behavior but convicted him of the more serious charges after hearing that their relationship had deteriorated following Cartwright's discovery of intimate messages between Samantha and her former partner. Cartwright claimed Samantha owed him around £100,000 from money lent to help renovate a property she had purchased in early 2023. Prosecutors also alleged Cartwright was leading a double life, revealing he had been with another girlfriend the night before the murder. The case was heard at Guildford Crown Court, where the jury delivered a unanimous verdict.