Man Sentenced to Life for Murder and Mutilation of Girlfriend in East Kilbride Flat
A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for the brutal and calculated murder of his girlfriend, Phoenix Spencer-Horn, in their shared home in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire.
Ewan Methven admitted to the horrific attack on 21-year-old Phoenix, which took place in November 2024. The High Court in Glasgow heard that Methven not only murdered her in a violent rage but also went to great lengths to deceive her loved ones and conceal his crime. He was ordered to serve a minimum of 23 years behind bars before becoming eligible for parole.
During sentencing, Lord Matthews described the case as one of the most emotionally devastating he had encountered, citing the overwhelming grief expressed in victim impact statements. He condemned Methven for robbing Phoenix not only of her life but also of her dignity in death.
“You betrayed the trust of her family and robbed her of a future in the cruellest way,” the judge stated, adding that Methven’s efforts to decapitate and dismember her were a chilling attempt to defeat the ends of justice.
Methven, who worked as a postman, submitted a handwritten letter to the court, expressing remorse and stating, “I cannot believe I have taken her from them.”
According to prosecutors, the attack unfolded late on Saturday, November 16, when Methven strangled Phoenix and stabbed her 20 times using three different knives. The fatal wound was inflicted to the chest, with additional injuries to her face and lower body. Earlier that evening, the couple had been having dinner and messaging Phoenix’s mother around 9:37 PM. They had been in a relationship for two years after meeting at a family gathering.
Investigators revealed that around midnight, a downstairs neighbor heard a loud disturbance and hurried footsteps, which coincided with an unusual spike in Methven’s step count recorded on his phone.
For the next two days, Methven pretended that Phoenix was still alive. He sent deceptive texts to her family, drove her red Corsa around town, and made more than 170 internet searches for pornography. He also attempted to buy cocaine and accessed her phone during this period. It was not until November 18 that he made a delayed 999 call to report the crime.
During the emergency call, Methven claimed he had suffered a psychotic episode brought on by a mix of cocaine, alcohol, and steroids, although a delivery driver later reported seeing Methven sober and coherent on the night in question.
When police arrived at the scene, they found Phoenix's mutilated body covered in the hallway next to two blood-soaked knives, with a third found in the bathroom. Methven appeared disturbingly calm and confessed to officers: “I tried to dismember her. I moved her from the bath and put her there.”
Later, in custody, he remarked: “I guess this is what my next 25 years look like.”
The prosecutor told the court that Methven had murdered Phoenix late on November 16, but did not report her death until two days later. Her body was discovered on November 18, after days of cover-up and manipulation by the accused.
Following her tragic death, Phoenix’s loved ones launched a fundraising campaign that gathered thousands of pounds to cover funeral expenses. In an act of grace and advocacy, her family donated much of the money to Women’s Aid, a charity that supports survivors of domestic abuse.
In a public message, the charity’s Glasgow branch expressed deep gratitude, writing: “Phoenix should still be here. But her legacy is one that’s lifting others up… Her name now stands for action, for change, and for refusing to let her story end in silence.”
The brutal killing has sparked renewed calls for stronger protections for women and greater awareness of domestic violence, especially involving individuals known and trusted by their victims.
Phoenix Spencer-Horn, remembered by her family as a joyful and loving daughter, was just beginning her adult life before it was violently cut short.