Man admits murdering Stela Domador-Kuzma in Bournemouth

Ryan Justin Thornton, 20, appeared at Winchester Crown Court on Friday 12 October 2018 and entered a guilty plea to killing the 34-year-old Venezuelan national in her bedroom on Sunday 8 July 2018.

Officers were called at around 5am by the ambulance service to the area of Richmond Hill in response to reports that a man – later identified as Thornton – had been found with stab wounds to his leg.

Following a number of enquiries officers found Stela’s body in her flat at Richmond Gardens. A knife was also recovered from the scene.

Thornton was arrested on suspicion of Stela’s murder and later charged.

A post-mortem examination was held on Monday 9 July 2018 and found Stela died as a result of stab wounds.

A murder investigation was launched by Dorset Police, led by detectives from the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT).

Stela had been living and working in the UK for four years and at the time of the offence was renting a room in a flat in Richmond Gardens. She shared the kitchen, bathroom and toilet facilities with Thornton and another woman. Thornton had moved into his room on Friday 22 June 2018 and Stela had moved into hers on Friday 29 June.

Thornton was remanded in custody and will be sentenced at the same court on a date yet to be fixed.