KILLER CAUGHT 

How chilling CCTV footage snared semi-pro footballer as he strolled home dripping with blood following murder of teen

CAUGHT on camera calmly walking away from an apartment in the early hours of the morning, you would think Joseph Trevor was simply heading home after a night out.

But chilling CCTV footage revealed the horrifying truth – the semi-pro footballer was walking away after committing murder.

6
Megan Newton was sexually assaulted and killed by Joseph TrevorCredit: Collect
 

6
Joseph Trevor admitted at Stafford Crown Court to raping and murdering MeganCredit: PA
Trevor, the 19-year-old son of two police officers, had brutally raped and butchered his old school friend Megan Newton, leaving her naked on her bed before casually leaving.

Shocking camera footage showed Trevor looking down at his blood-covered hands as he left the scene – and, as a new documentary reveals, gave police a rare insight into his killer mind.

Retired detective Steve Keogh explains: “It is actually quite unusual to get a glimpse of a killer soon after a murder has taken place, you don’t often get that look into their eyes as in this instance when he is coming out of that flat.”

Forensic psychologist Dr Roberta Babb adds: “Knowing that this man is the killer invites us to look at this clip differently. The calmness that you see is quite chilling. It is cold, it is callous, and it has no indication of what has just taken place moments before.”

6
Detectives have described Trevor’s ‘calm’ appearance after the murder as chilling. Trevor is seen leaving the flat hereCredit: Collect
 

6
The yellow ring captures the blood on Trevor’s hands following the murderCredit: Collect
Megan was just 18 years old and studying sports science at Newcastle College in Stoke-on-Trent when she was killed by Trevor.

The talented footballer worked three part-time jobs to support herself, as well as coaching an under-sevens girls’ football team in her spare time.

Megan had high ambitions and was working towards a sports scholarship to study in America. However, her dreams were cut short on the evening of Friday, April 19, 2019.

She had finished her usual shift at a local fish and chip shop and headed home to get changed before going out with friends. They met in a pub for drinks and went clubbing before Megan took a taxi home at 2.45am.

The next morning, neighbours made a worrying discovery – a set of keys covered in blood in a car park outside Megan’s apartment.

Former Detective Keogh says: “They were able to ascertain that they belonged to one of the occupants of the downstairs flats. So out of concern they opened the door, went in and what they found was a naked female lying on the bed quite clearly deceased and quite clearly suffering from horrendous injuries so they came away and dialled 999.”

When police arrived, they knew from the extent of Megan’s injuries that this was no accident. After a search, they found what they believed to be the murder weapon – a knife – and immediately launched a murder investigation.

A post-mortem examination revealed Megan had suffered nine stab wounds to the back of her neck. They had entered her chest and into both her lungs. There was also evidence she had been strangled and sexually assaulted.

6
Megan was just 18 years old and studying sports science at Newcastle College in Stoke-on-Trent when she was killed by TrevorCredit: Refer to Caption
 

6
She had offered Trevor a place to stay to avoid getting in trouble with his parentsCredit: PA
Dr Babb says: “This is a very disturbing and violent crime. From a psychological perspective this is overkill, and overkill really does suggest there is an intense emotional experience like rage, sadism, it is about power and control. We also have to acknowledge the throat is where our voice resides so strangulation can also be seen as a way to silence the victim, especially if they have been rejected or there has been resistance, or even to silence the victim about what has happened. At that moment the perpetrator literally has the victim’s life in their hands, they choose if they live or die. It is about inflicting anxiety, terror in the victim but also exerting dominance.”

But it was CCTV evidence that would soon provide the breakthrough in the hunt for Megan’s killer.

Officers found footage from outside the club which confirmed Megan had left in a taxi with two other people.

“Police were looking for what we call ‘quick wins’ CCTV that could potentially give some clues as to what went on and importantly who the killer may have been,” Detective Keogh says. “In that taxi was one of her female friends and a male. This clip shows them getting in the taxi, Megan in the middle and the friend close to the passenger side. They all look comfortable and to all intents and purposes there is nothing suspicious going on.”

Police also examined surveillance footage near Megan’s home and from this, they captured clear images of her arriving home at around 3.45am with a tall, slim, young white male.

“They were smiling, they looked happy, there was definitely nothing at this point that you would point at as looking suspicious,” Detective Keogh says.

But analysis of the man’s behaviour showed a subtle change in his demeanour.

Dr Babb explains: “What was once quite relaxed shifts. He stands close to Megan, looks around, we don’t know if he is responding to a noise, or just scoping out to see if someone is watching him but there is definitely something that shifted.”

Two hours later, the man appeared on camera once more, this time leaving the apartment.

“It looks like he is quite calm,” says Dr Babb. “He walks, he doesn’t run, he seems very composed as he makes his way to the door.”

An exterior camera also captured the man appearing to throw something on the floor with his right hand, landing in the same spot where neighbours had found Megan’s blood-covered keys.

“Again he seems quite calm, he doesn’t seem fazed,” says Dr Babb. “He is even checking his phone. It doesn’t appear that anything is amiss.”

But there was even more chilling and damning footage to follow.

Detective Keogh says: “Of all the video footage this is the one for me that really hits home. As he is walking away he looks down and we can see there is something on his hands, and you can see the colour of it – it is red.”

With such clear images of their suspect, and after speaking to Megan’s friends, police quickly identified the man as Trevor. It emerged he’d been detained by police earlier that evening for possession of ketamine but, because he had been drinking and potentially taking drugs, he was released on bail. He then headed straight to Kiln nightclub where he met Megan.

In the hours after the murder, Trevor was found sitting over the side of a bridge on the A500. He was taken to hospital, seen by a mental health worker and later taken home by his dad.

Dr Babb says: “We don’t know what was going through Joseph Trevor’s mind, it could be guilt, it could be remorse, it could be shame, however in these instances self-preservation outweighs guilt and what unfolded may have been much more a response to a fear of the consequences other than true remorse for what he had done.”

It was at home with his parents that Trevor finally confessed to his crimes.

“For Joseph Trevor’s parents, both being police officers, hearing what he had done must’ve been devastating,” Dr Babb says. “But the reality is there was only one outcome. In order for Megan to have justice, they had to forgo protecting their son.”

Trevor was arrested and charged with Megan’s murder – and it was only then that a previous arrest for sexual assault at the age of 15 came to light.

“That was never prosecuted but it gave a clue as to why and how this happened to Megan,” Detective Keogh says.

During Trevor’s trial, the court heard how Megan had been a Good Samaritan that evening, taking him home and giving him a place to stay so he wouldn’t get in trouble with his parents after being arrested earlier over drugs.

But he repaid her kindness by brutally raping and murdering her before fleeing the scene.

In February 2020, Trevor was sentenced to 21 years for the rape and murder of Megan. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.“It is really important that talking about Megan’s murder doesn’t take away her dignity,” Dr Babb says. “Why it is an important case, that real lessons can be learned. We have to hold in mind that a woman who had her whole life ahead of her is at the centre of this. Megan brought lots of joy to many people, she was kind, compassionate and caring and she will be missed by not only her friends and family, but also her community.”