Greedy Couple Starved Millionaire To Death To Steal His Vast Estate, Court Told

A greedy couple starved a millionaire, who was also their live-in landlord, to death to steal a part of his £3.5 million ($4.8 million) estate.

Lynda and Wayne Rickard have been charged with killing 59-year-old James ‘Anthony’ Sootheran by depriving him of food, water and medical care. The trial began Tuesday at a UK Court, reports BBC News.

Prosecutor Oliver Saxby told Reading Crown Court that Antony, 59, was a "recluse" who relied on Lynda for care but she murdered him to satisfy her "brazen greed."

The court heard that Lynda and Wayne moved into the farmhouse owned by the victim in 2006. She was brought in to care for Anthony's mother Joy, who had dementia, and died in August 2012.

Lynda first forged Joy's will, setting aside half of Joy's almost-£1.5 million ($2.06) estate in her name. She also admitted to using tens of thousands of pounds of their money, the prosecutor said.

A 'controlling' Lynda found the perfect victim in Anthony. "Anthony Sootheran was someone with complex mental health issues. A recluse, prone to gross self-neglect which of course gave Lynda Rickard the perfect cover for precipitating his death,” the prosecutor said.

“In short, for their own gain, they killed him – by isolating him, neglecting him, failing to obtain appropriate medical help for him, and depriving him of food and drink,” Saxby told the court.

Anthony was found dead by a visiting doctor on 18 March, 2014.

“In simple terms, assisted by her husband, Lynda Rickard starved Anthony Sootheran to death thereby satisfying her greed and securing for herself and her family the windfall she craved," he added.

The jury was also told of the distressing images of the "skeleton-like body" of Antony lying dead with a "particularly nasty bedsore."

Both Lynda and Wayne denied the murder charges. While Wayne denied a charge of perverting the course of justice by attempting to pass off a will as genuine, Lynda denies conspiring to do the same.

The Rickards also denied a charge of fraudulently using Joy Sootheran's money to buy a Mitsubishi Shogun car, the court heard.

Also on trial are three friends of the Rickards -- Shanda Robinson, Denise Neal, and Michael Dunkley. They are accused to have become "embroiled in her dishonesty" by fraudulently signing wills knowing that they were forged.