Man jailed after stabbing wife to death with samurai sword

Darren Merriman

A man who repeatedly stabbed his wife with a samurai sword in a fit of rage has been jailed.

Darren Merriman (07/10/1977) has  been sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to the murder of Elizabeth Merriman. He will serve a minimum of 18 years and six months before being considered for release.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/114079/darren-merriman-charged-with-murder-of-elizabeth-merriman

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/113941/woman-killed-in-newhey-named-as-liz-merriman

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/114046/family-tribute-for-liz-merriman

On Sunday 22 October 2017, Merriman spent the afternoon drinking with his friend in numerous pubs in Milnrow and Newhey before making his way home.

Soon after arriving home, he became embroiled in a heated argument with Elizabeth in an upstairs bedroom.

As the row raged on, Merriman grabbed a samurai sword that was nearby and stabbed his wife repeatedly. After realising what he had done, he fled the scene in the family car.

A manhunt was subsequently launched by police to find Merriman before he was located on Lower Lane in the early hours of Monday 23 October with self-inflicted injuries, which would require lifesaving surgery.

After recovering from the surgery he was charged with the murder of his wife. A post mortem examination revealed that Elizabeth was stabbed 22 times in total.

Senior Investigating Officer Duncan Thorpe, of GMP’s Major Incident Support Unit, said: “On the night of Sunday 22 October 2017, Elizabeth was brutally murdered by her husband, a man who she had been in a relationship with for 15 years and should have been able to trust more than anyone else.

“Elizabeth’s death was heart-breaking for her family and our thoughts are with them at this very difficult time.”