The murder of Gordon Semple occurred in April 2016 in Southwark, London. The victim, Gordon Semple, was a 59-year-old serving officer with the Metropolitan Police Service. The case gained significant media attention due to the circumstances of the killing and the perpetrator’s subsequent attempts to dispose of the body.
On April 1, 2016, Semple was reported missing after failing to return home from work. He was last seen on CCTV footage in the vicinity of London Bridge. Investigations revealed that Semple had used the dating app Grindr to arrange a meeting with 50-year-old Stefano Brizzi at Brizzi's flat on the Peabody Estate.
During the meeting, Brizzi strangled Semple to death. Following the murder, Brizzi attempted to dispose of the remains using various methods, including an acid bath and attempting to flush remains down the drain. He later claimed to have been inspired by the television series Breaking Bad. Neighbors alerted the police several days later on April 7, reporting a foul smell emanating from the property. Upon entering the flat, officers discovered human remains in a communal bin and inside the apartment.
Stefano Brizzi was arrested and charged with murder. During his trial at the Old Bailey, the prosecution detailed Brizzi’s heavy use of crystal meth and his interest in Satanism. Brizzi admitted to obstructing a coroner in the execution of his duty but initially denied murder, claiming that Semple had died accidentally during a consensual sexual encounter.
In November 2016, the jury found Brizzi guilty of murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 24 years. In February 2017, while serving his sentence at HMP Belmarsh, Brizzi died by suicide. An inquest following his death confirmed he had been suffering from mental health issues and drug withdrawal symptoms at the time of the crime.
