Murderer held victim hostage and stole his benefits before killing him, court hears

Murderer held victim hostage and stole his benefits before killing him, court hears Ashley Crowder, 36, has been convicted of killing Graham Cox, 37, who was "beaten and strangled" to death at the defendant's flat in Farnworth, Greater Manchester A killer been found guilty of "beating and strangling" a man to death after keeping him captive in his flat for two weeks and then emptying his bank account. Ashley Crowder, 36, awaits sentencing next month following his conviction by a jury at trial for the killing of Graham Cox, 37. He was found guilty of murder, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and four counts of theft on Wednesday. Bolton Crown Court heard earlier that Mr Cox was discovered on March 4, 2024 laid out on a sofa with a blanket draped over him. Paramedics reported he was 'cold to the touch' with visible signs of 'rigor mortis'. He had suffered a fatal beating and his bank account had been completely drained. Mr Cox stated he had endured 14 days without food, reports the Manchester Evening News. When police arrived at his flat on Barton Walk, Farnworth, Crowder claimed Mr Cox had taken a tumble days beforehand and sustained a 'bleed on the brain'. He informed officers he was 'just about to phone the ambulance'. Crowder refuted allegations of physically and financially 'abusing' Mr Cox during the weeks preceding his death, the precise date of which remains unknown. The court was told Mr Cox had been in a 'pitiful state' of health for 'some months' leading up to his death. His residence on St James Street, Farnworth, had become uninhabitable for several weeks. He was characterised as 'vulnerable' due to his drug addiction and existing medical conditions. The Crown alleged that Mr Cox was compelled to surrender his benefits to Crowder, whom prosecutors stated 'beat and strangled [Mr] Cox to death'. This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link . You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News , TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage .