Alexis De Naray, 45, died at the hands of homeless Adam Rowson, 26, who he met while both men were receiving treatment at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital before he offered Rowson a place to stay
A “caring and loving” chef whose dead body was dumped in an abandoned garage in Shrewsbury has been pictured for the first time.
Alexis De Naray, 45, was killed in a brutal attack at the hands of homeless man Adam Rowson, 26.
Alexis was admitted to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for treatment after he had collapsed on June 23 last year. During the early hours of the next day, Mr De Naray met Rowson at the hospital.
Rowson offered his victim a place to stay – they did not know each other and had never met before. The pair – both alcoholics – made their way to an abandoned building near the Shelton water tower, in Shrewsbury, where Rowson was living.
Rowson called the non-emergency police number 101, claiming he had found a man dead in the attic of the building at about 11.45am on June 27. Rowson remained at the scene as emergency services arrived, West Mercia Police said.
He later told officers that him and the victim had got into an altercation several days earlier and he left him there.
Mr De Naray suffered a number of serious injuries, including a brain injury and broken ribs – none of which were determined to have caused his death.
A murder probe established Rowson had been using the victim’s bank cards days after his death to buy alcohol, scratchcards, food, clothes and travel tickets. He also withdrew cash from the account.
West Mercia Police said: “It is not known exactly when Alexis was murdered, but officers believe it was either late Tuesday evening (June 24) or early Wednesday morning (June 25) based on Rowson’s behaviour.”
Rowson, of no fixed abode, was convicted by jurors of murder following a 12-day trial at Stafford Crown Court earlier this year. He was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 16 years, on Wednesday, May 6.
In a statement read to the court, the victim’s younger brother Alexandros De Naray said his sibling was ‘one of the most caring and loving people I have ever known’.
He said: “He was my best friend I loved him more than I could ever explain. I think every day how I can never see him again and one of the people I loved most in the world has been taken away from me in such a horrible way.
“I can only hope he felt no pain in his last moments and he is now at peace.”
