A convicted murderer, known for his disturbing actions, has been discovered deceased in prison after strangling a 79-year-old woman to death. Gareth Dack, who had been sentenced to at least 33 years in prison for the murder of Norma Bell in 2016, was found lifeless in HMP Frankland near Durham.
Dack gruesomely attacked Mrs. Bell, a mother of nine, mutilated her clothes, and used her phone to contact adult chat lines while she was either deceased or dying. Subsequently, he attempted to set fire to her residence in a futile effort to eliminate evidence.
Following his sentencing, where he received a life term for the murder of the elderly woman, Mrs. Justice Whipple condemned Dack as “perverted and disgusting.” The 41-year-old’s lifeless body was discovered on Monday at the prison. A Prison Service representative confirmed his demise, stating that an investigation by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will be conducted, as is standard protocol for all custodial deaths.
Gareth Dack was convicted after a lengthy trial at Teesside Crown Court, according to a report by WalesOnline. The presiding judge during sentencing denounced Dack’s actions, stating, “You callously murdered Norma Bell in her own home when she was defenseless. She did not provoke your violence, and you then attempted to cover up your crime by setting her house ablaze.”
Described as a drug user with significant debts, Dack had pressured the victim into lending him money the week before the tragic incident. Norma Bell, along with her late husband John, had three biological sons and six long-term foster children they considered their own.
In a statement released by the family following the trial, they praised Mrs. Bell’s compassionate nature, noting the irreplaceable void her murder had left in their lives and expressing that forgiveness for the heinous act would never be granted.