Man cleared of murdering Theresa Jordan but found guilty of manslaughter and dumping body outside Leeds Asda
A drug addict has been cleared of murdering a woman, but has been found guilty of manslaughter, storing her in his wheelie bin at his home before dumping her badly-decomposed body outside a supermarket 12 days later.
Mark Metcalfe faced a three-week trial at Leeds Crown Court, accused of murdering Theresa “Terri” Jordan, after she attended a crack cocaine party at his home.
Her body was so badly decomposed by the time she was found in undergrowth on Kimberley Road in Harehills on June 23, 2022, that a pathologist was unable to conclude how she was killed.
Metcalfe’s defence counsel insisted there was no forensic evidence to suggest that 40-year-old Metcalfe killed Theresa.
The jury deliberated for three days and returned a unanimous not-guilty verdict on her murder this morning, but found Metcalfe guilty of manslaughter and preventing the lawful burial of a body.
Judge Robin Mairs told Metcalfe he will remain in custody until a date is fixed for his sentence. He was told he still faces a “long custodial sentence”.
Metcalfe denied any involvement in Theresa’s death, despite CCTV showing him dumping the 32-year-old body.
Her body was stored in a wheelie bin outside his home, but the smell from her rotting flesh in the summer heat began to raise suspicions.
In desperation, he later dumped the body in the bushes next to Asda which was found by horrified passers by a short time later.
During the trial is was heard that Theresa Jordan, a drug addict herself, had been with another friend had been at Metcalfe’s home June 11, 2022, taking crack cocaine and drinking heavily.
Cameras later caught Metcalfe disposing of the body and of the wheelie bin and forensic investigations showed that Theresa’s blood and hair was found at his home.
Following his arrest, Metcalfe denied knowing why her blood was found at his home and denied it was him on the CCTV.