ITV's The Essex Millionaire Murders: Full story behind Carol and Stephen Baxter's murder

Wales Online

28-04-2025

ITV's The Essex Millionaire Murders: Full story behind Carol and Stephen Baxter's murder
The Essex Millionaire Murders documents an investigation that remains one of the most complex cases ever undertaken by Essex Police
Stephen Baxter, 61, and his 64-year-old wife Carol, who were found dead sitting in their individual armchairs in their conservatory on Easter Sunday in 2023
(Image: Family handout/PA )
A brand new ITV documentary is set to premiere on ITV this evening, April 28, and follows what is deemed on of Essex Police's most intricate investigations.
The Essex Millionaire Murders, which includes two episodes, will be broadcast on Monday and Tuesday evenings (April 28 and 29). It will shed a light on the chilling events that happened on April 9, 2023 and what led to the discovery of a couple -Carol and Stephen Baxter, who were found dead in their home.
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The two-part documentary will include interviews from four officers from Essex Police, including Detective Inspector Lydia George, who took the helm as the senior investigating officer in the case. Following an extensive inquiry, Luke D'Wit - a familiar face to the Baxter family, was found guilty of their murder.
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But what exactly happened to the couple? Here's the full story behind Carol and Stephen Baxter's murder.
What happened to Stephen and Carol Baxter?
Wealthy couple Carol, 64, and 61-year-old Stephen Baxter were from Mersea Island, Essex.
According to The Standard, they were known for their successful business and charitable contributions, and were regarded as respected members of their community.
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According to the BBC, D'Wit was seen as the "pillar of the community" on the island, with his family ties going back for generations.
It is believed he met the Baxters sometime around 2012 and 2013. D'Wit worked in IT and met the couple through his work as a freelance web designer when he helped create a website for Mrs Baxter's shower mat business, Cazsplash.
The relationship between D'Wit and the Baxters evolved to the point where D'Wit would accompany Mrs Baxter to the gym and would help her take her medication.
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According to a family friend, who spoke to the BBC, "he was always there".
His trial heard that he faked a cancer diagnosis to try and gain sympathy from the family during this time.
D'Wit also took charge of Carol's medication, feigning assistance in treating her autoimmune condition, only for it to result in exacerbating her health issues.
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His trial heard that his deceit included fabricating multiple false identities, even impersonating a medical professional.
On Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023, Carol and Stephen were tragically discovered dead in their Mersea Island home by their daughter.
There were no visible injuries or clear cause of death, and it was only weeks later that a toxicology report revealed they had died from fentanyl poisoning.
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Luke D'Wit was found guilty of the double murder of Stephen and Carol Baxter
(Image: Essex Police )
D'Wit was the last person to see them alive. Two days prior, on April 7, he had administered a lethal dose of fentanyl to the couple he had befriended, even setting up a camera inside their home to observe their demise.
The BBC reports that a falsified will inside the Baxters' home named D'Wit as the director of Cazsplash, which ultimately led detectives to the killer.
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Upon D'Wit's arrest, police found several fentanyl patches, which D'Wit claimed belonged to his deceased father, but later said were his grandfather's.
Officers also discovered a bag containing numerous metal tacks and pill casings, which they strongly suspect were previously given to Carol, leading to her hospitalisation after X-rays revealed the tacks in her stomach.
In his testimony, D'Wit alleged that both he and Stephen were behind the fictitious personas, using these characters to make Carol believe she was receiving help for her health conditions.
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However, under cross-examination, his story unravelled as messages between the fictitious characters and Stephen Baxter were read out, indicating that there was no plausible way Stephen could have been part of D'Wit's scheme.
D'Wit received a life sentence with a minimum term of 37 years behind bars, marking one of the longest sentences procured in the wake of an Essex Police investigation. In March 2024, post-sentencing, DI George branded D'Wit a "pathological liar", reports Surrey Live.
ITV's documentary, The Essex Millionaire Murders, delves into D'Wit's insidious preying on and manipulation of the Baxter household in the time preceding the tragic event.
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Viewers can watch the first episode of The Essex Millionaire Murders on ITV 1 at 9pm on Monday, April 28, with the second episode also aired on ITV 1 at 9pm on Tuesday evening, April 29.