Boyfriend Charged With Murder After Canadian Teen Dies On Visit To UK

A 23-year-old U.K. man was charged with murdering his online teen girlfriend who traveled all the way from Canada to London to meet him.

Police were called to Tennyson Road in Chelmsford, Essex, on Tuesday following reports of a disturbance. On arrival, deputies found Ashley Wadsworth, 19, of Vernon, British Columbia, dead at her boyfriend Jack Sepple’s residence. The young woman was found in bed, covered in blood, with Sepple alongside her on his phone, CTV News reported. Wadsworth was stabbed to death.

Sepple was charged with murder Thursday.

According to the outlet, Wadsworth traveled to the United Kingdom in November to be with Sepple. A day prior to the incident, she posted a selfie with Sepple on her Facebook account. The young woman’s social media profiles have pictures of the couple touring London landmarks to celebrate Sepple's birthday on Jan. 9, the outlet reported.

Wadsworth was scheduled to fly back to Canada on Thursday, according to a report by the BBC.

A woman who lived next door told CTV News that Wadsworth had come to her distressed on the day of the incident. The woman said when she went to check up on her later, she said Sepple told her, “Give us five minutes.”

"I thought they were having adult time," the neighbor told CTV News. The woman refused to give details about what she saw next but said her heart goes out to the family of the deceased teen. "I just can’t believe it," said the woman. "Every time I shut my eyes I see her dead."

At age 18, Wadsworth converted to the Church of the Latter-day Saints. A church member, Daniel Seaman, described her as a "woman of great faith."

The deceased teen’s stepmother, Charmaine Wadsworth, told CBC News: "We’re just remembering how strong and smart and witty Ashley was and how kind she was and how she was always 10 steps ahead of all of us. And she’ll be dearly missed by each and every one of us."

The motive of the murder isn't still clear. Wadsworth's Facebook friends left condolences on her profile after the news of her death broke. "I’m so sorry your trip turned out to be like this," one person wrote. "You deserved so much better," wrote another.

Sepple was remanded into custody and was scheduled to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday morning.