Rebekah Campbell chillingly predicted her own murder in text messages to her boyfriend just days before he killed her. The 32-year-old wrote "I don't wanna know what you would do to me behind closed doors" to Michael Ormandy, who would go on to stab her 27 times.
Campbell was murdered at her flat in Knowsley Heights, Huyton, Liverpool on April 15, 2024. Ormandy burst into her home wearing a bulletproof vest and carried out the vicious attack after their toxic relationship reached breaking point.
The victim could be heard screaming "get out, go away Mick" during the assault. Her friend Faye Henderson was on the phone with Campbell during the attack and heard her trying to fend off the killer before the line went quiet.
Abusive relationship escalated
Ormandy had left Campbell with black eyes just three days before the murder after suspecting her of seeing other men. The Manchester Evening News reports he then went to have sex with another woman at a hotel in Southport, telling her he was "going to Liverpool to sort something out" hours before the killing.
Campbell had tried to end their relationship on the day of the attack, telling Ormandy they could be friends but nothing more. She texted: "I'm not having you calling me a s***, causing s*** with my family and friends over me singing with my mates."
The prosecutor described their relationship as toxic and abusive, with Campbell appearing "ready to end it" before her death. Text messages revealed she was both scared and defiant towards her increasingly violent partner.
Conviction and sentencing
Ormandy claimed he acted in self-defence, insisting Campbell had lunged at him with the knife. However, he suffered only one small cut to his hand compared to Campbell's 27 major wounds.
The 34-year-old was unanimously convicted of murder at Liverpool Crown Court on October 15, 2024. Cheers erupted from family and friends in the gallery when the verdict was announced.
Ormandy was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 24 years. The Mirror and Manchester Evening News report that the former boxer and cage fighter had "The Hitman" tattooed on his neck.
Broader context
According to the Liverpool Echo, Knowsley has the highest femicide rate in the United Kingdom. The area struggles with domestic violence issues that reflect broader systemic failures in protecting vulnerable women.
Campbell's murder took place at Knowsley Heights tower blocks, which are scheduled for demolition by 2027 due to poor living conditions. Her case highlights the urgent need for better protection services for women experiencing domestic abuse.
Sources used: "Daily Star", "Mirror", "Manchester Evening News", "Liverpool Echo" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
