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15/11/2004
'Vampire' killer found dead in his cell
A 23-year-old man, who claimed at his 2003 trial that he murdered his friend after being visited by a vampire, has been found dead in prison.
Alan Menzies, from Fauldhouse in West Lothian, was found dead at Shotts Prison this morning. He reportedly committed suicide.
Menzies was sentenced to serve at least 18 years in prison after being convicted of murdering 21-year-old Thomas McKendrick. He beat his victim with a hammer at least 10 times and stabbed him 42 times in a frenzied attack. He then drank some of his blood and ate some of his corpse.
At his Edinburgh High Court trial, Menzies pleaded culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He claimed that Akasha – the female vampire character from the film 'Queen of the Damned' - told him that he would gain immortality if he carried out the murder.
Menzies was obsessed with the film and claimed to have watched it over 100 times. He said that he carried out the attack after Mr McKendrick made insulting remarks about the film.
(gmcg)
Alan Menzies, from Fauldhouse in West Lothian, was found dead at Shotts Prison this morning. He reportedly committed suicide.
Menzies was sentenced to serve at least 18 years in prison after being convicted of murdering 21-year-old Thomas McKendrick. He beat his victim with a hammer at least 10 times and stabbed him 42 times in a frenzied attack. He then drank some of his blood and ate some of his corpse.
At his Edinburgh High Court trial, Menzies pleaded culpable homicide on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He claimed that Akasha – the female vampire character from the film 'Queen of the Damned' - told him that he would gain immortality if he carried out the murder.
Menzies was obsessed with the film and claimed to have watched it over 100 times. He said that he carried out the attack after Mr McKendrick made insulting remarks about the film.
(gmcg)
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