Evil killer who stalked ex on Christmas Day with knife before stabbing him to death when she found his Tinder is jailed
Kirsty Carless, 33, plunged a knife into 31-year-old Louis Price's heart on Christmas Day in an attack "motivated by anger and jealousy".
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The killer had called dad-of-six Louis 45 times in a 30-minute period after a pal sent her his Tinder profile.
This was despite her having sex three times with a male friend she had been downing double vodka and cokes with that night.
She then jumped in a taxi to Louis' home in Norton Canes, Staffordshire, armed with a kitchen knife.
CCTV released by police shows Carless running up the front path to confront Louis, who she expected to find with a woman, before "stalking" him around the garden.
He was later tragically discovered dead with a single stab wound to the chest in the conservatory.
Carless has now been jailed for life with a minimum of 25 years after she was convicted of murder and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
She was also found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm over a previous incident, but cleared of intentional strangulation.
Stafford Crown Court heard Louis was considered by police to be "at very high risk of domestic abuse".
At the time of the horror, Carless was on police bail after allegedly strangling Louis in November 2024.
Louis had previously told a friend he was scared of his on-off partner and believed "something bad would happen to him".
One neighbour had called police after witnessing Carless chasing and hitting Louis in the ribs with a metal pole as he tried to protect his head.
There was another incident where she allegedly poured bleach over his clothes and threw a shoe out of the window, which hit him on the head.
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In a witness statement to police, Louis said that "on the whole", has " the relationship had been "abusive'.
He added: 'She has constantly been abusive towards me, stopped me doing things I enjoy like football, and physically abused me.'
In the early hours of Christmas Day, Carless and drunk alcohol and taken cocaine before she headed to Louis' parents' home.
She asked the taxi driver to wait outside as she would only be a minute before she launched into the brutal attack.
The killer was later captured on police bodycam sobbing as she was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Carless claimed she only phoned him to see if he had taken money from inside a card at her home and went round to get the cash back.
She said she had no recollection of stabbing him and was "not a violent person".
Carless told the court: "I remember being in the conservatory, that was it the next thing I knew I was in the kitchen.
'Louis was sat on the floor. Then I panicked and ran off.'
Carless denied murder and possessing an offensive weapon.
She also pleaded not guilty to one count of intentional strangulation and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the incident on November 11, 2024.
Domestic abuse - how to get help
DOMESTIC abuse can affect anyone - including men - and does not always involve physical violence.
Here are some signs that you could be in an abusive relationship:
Emotional abuse - Including being belittled, blamed for the abuse - gaslighting - being isolated from family and friends, having no control over your finances, what you where and who you speak to
Threats and intimidation - Some partners might threaten to kill or hurt you, destroy your belongings, stalk or harass you
Physical abuse - This can range from slapping or hitting to being shoved over, choked or bitten.
Sexual abuse - Being touched in a way you do not want to be touched, hurt during sex, pressured into sex or forced to have sex when you do not consent.
If any of the above apply to you or a friend, you can call these numbers:
Remember, you are not alone.
1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic abuse over the course of their lifetime.
Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for help relating to domestic abuse.
Louis' devastated family previously paid tribute to the "devoted fisherman", who was "well-loved" in the community.
They added: "As a family we are devastated at losing Louis. Life will never be the same without him.
"He leaves a huge hole in the lives of everyone who knew him.
"Christmas is a time we have always spent together as a family, to lose Louis at this time is even harder.
"Louis leaves behind his Mum, Dad, Brother and Sister, along with his six children.
"He has four daughters and two sons who he loved dearly. Louis had a big heart, he loved those closest to him."
Staffordshire Police referred itself to the IOPC watchdog "due to recent police contact".
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