Luke D'Wit now as true story of 'cold and calculated' killer told in Essex Millionaire Murders

Wales Online

28-04-2025

Luke D'Wit now as true story of 'cold and calculated' killer told in Essex Millionaire Murders
Luke D'Wit was found guilty of the murders of Carol and Stephen Baxter in one of the most complex criminal cases police have ever undertaken - their deaths are the subject of an ITV documentary
Luke D'Wit was found guilty of murder
The Essex Millionaire Murders chronicles a "cold and calculated" murderer who fatally poisoned a Mersea Island couple in order to take over their wealth, a criminal the police believe is one of the most menacing individuals they've come across. In March 2024, Luke D'Wit was convicted of the murder of Carol and Stephen Baxter.
Now 35, D'Wit had killed the Baxters using fentanyl, disguising himself as a physician, and even forged a Will to guarantee he profited from their tragic end. His heinous act is examined in the two-part ITV documentary, set to broadcast this Monday and Tuesday (April 28 and 29) at 9pm.
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The intricate web of fabrications and deceit woven by D'Wit was eventually his downfall, in what detectives involved referred to as among the most complex cases they'd ever tackled. Under the guise of a doctor, D'Wit manipulated Carol Baxter's medications under the pretence of treating her autoimmune disorder, only to exacerbate her condition further.
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Stephen Baxter, 61, and his 64-year-old wife Carol, who were found dead sitting in their individual armchairs
(Image: Family handout/PA )
On Easter Sunday (April 9) in 2023, the Baxters were tragically discovered dead by their children, in their residence on Mersea Island in Essex. They were found without any visible injuries or clear signs of how they died.
It took weeks before a toxicological examination unveiled the true cause: death by fentanyl poisoning – with the couple's friend, 34 year old Luke D'Wit, being the last known person to see them alive, reports Essex Live.
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Upon D'Wit's arrest, police discovered several fentanyl patches which he initially claimed belonged to his deceased father, later changing his story to say they were his grandfather's. They also found a bag containing metal tacks and pill casings, which investigators strongly suspect were given to Carol, resulting in her hospitalisation after x-rays revealed the tacks in her stomach.
On Good Friday (April 7, 2023), D'Wit was the last person to see Carol and Stephen alive, leaving their home just before 8pm. He had administered a lethal dose of fentanyl to the couple, whom he had befriended, and even installed a camera in their home to observe their deaths.
In his testimony, D'Wit claimed that he and Stephen were behind the fictitious personas, using these characters to make Carol believe she was receiving assistance for her health and mental wellbeing. However, under cross-examination, his narrative unravelled when messages between the fabricated characters and Stephen Baxter were read out, demonstrating that it was implausible for Stephen to have been involved in D'Wit's intricate scheme.
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Where is Luke D'Wit now?
The nearly six-week trial at Chelmsford Crown Court concluded on March 20, 2024, with a jury unanimously finding D'Wit, from Churchfields, West Mersea, guilty of both murders. He was subsequently handed a life sentence, with a minimum term of 37 years before he can be considered for parole.
Detective Superintendent Rob Kirby from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate remarked post-trial: "There was no bloody murder scene. There was no obvious murder weapon. But Carol and Stephen Baxter's deaths were cold and calculated acts of murder carried out by a dangerous man who clearly planned to get away with it.
"In all my years in policing, Luke D'Wit is one of the most dangerous men I have come across. I have absolutely no doubt that had he not been caught, he would have gone onto commit further murders.
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Luke D'Wit's police mugshot, who on Wednesday, March 20, was found guilty of the double murder of Stephen and Carol Baxter
(Image: Essex Police )
"He would befriend people and purport to be an upstanding, helpful and kind member of the community. The reality is far more sinister. He is a cold, calculated murderer."
Adding to his statement, Det Supt Kirby said: 'D'Wit went to great lengths to cover up his tracks. He deceived everyone who knew him, who welcomed him into their family homes and who relied upon him for help, or at least what they believed was help. What he didn't bank on was that our detectives at Essex Police were much smarter and determined to secure justice.
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'Those lies, and that deception, continued in the evidence he gave in court. Disgracefully, he based his defence on collusion between himself and Stephen Baxter. Stephen is tragically not here to defend himself but from everything we know about him, this could never have been the case. Thankfully, the jury saw through his fantasies and gave guilty verdicts.'
The documentary series 'Essex Millionaire Murders' will be shown on ITV on April 28 and 29 at 9pm.