A man who stabbed his wife 78 times driven by his obsession with money and his determination to stop her leaving him has been convicted of her murder after a jury rejected his claims that he acted in self-defence.

Robert Alexander, 66, of Ascot Drive, Tamworth, was convicted today (24 June 2026) of the murder of 60-year-old Christina Alexander following a trial at Stafford Crown Court.

The couple met through online dating and married in 2019. From early in the relationship, Alexander demonstrated increasingly controlling and violent behaviour towards Ms Alexander, driven by a fixation on money.

Police were called on 13 September 2020 after he placed Ms Alexander in a chokehold. When arrested, his main concern was that she knew his bank card PIN numbers. He was later convicted of battery.

In June 2021, Ms Alexander told police she was living under constant threat of violence. Despite being in work, she remained financially dependent on the defendant and feared she would have nowhere to live if she left.

By 2025, Ms Alexander had begun taking steps to leave the relationship, including consulting a solicitor and making financial arrangements to live independently. Dashcam footage from her car captured her telling her sister: “I’ll probably be dead before then.”

In the weeks before the murder, Alexander harmed himself twice. Psychiatric experts later concluded this was intended to manipulate or control Ms Alexander. Days after being discharged from hospital following the second incident, he killed her at their home in the early hours of 23 June 2025.

A forensic pathologist found Ms Alexander had sustained at least 78 stab wounds, including injuries to the face, neck, body, arms and legs, as well as numerous additional cuts.

Narmina Rafiq from the CPS said: “This was a complex and challenging prosecution involving detailed psychiatric evidence and conflicting expert opinion about Robert Alexander’s mental state.

“Alexander told different stories to different people and changed his version of events when it suited him. The jury carefully considered all of the evidence and rejected his claims of self-defence and diminished responsibility.

“We were able to demonstrate that his actions were driven by control - both over his wife and over money - and that his self-harm formed part of that pattern, rather than being the result of a serious mental disorder.

“Our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of Christina Alexander. She was a nurse who spent her life caring for others, and her loss is deeply felt. We hope this outcome provides some measure of justice for her family, particularly her siblings who supported the prosecution throughout.

“This case highlights how controlling and abusive behaviour can escalate and demonstrates that even where complex mental health evidence is considered, individuals will be held accountable where the evidence supports it.”

Building the case

The CPS worked closely with Warwickshire Police to build a clear picture of a controlling and deteriorating relationship, including Alexander’s behaviour in the lead-up to the killing and immediately afterwards.

Key evidence came from Alexander’s own words and actions.

In messages to Ms Alexander, he misled her about his whereabouts, claiming to be in hospital when he was in fact travelling home. Dashcam footage from her car showed her returning to the house, unaware he was already there.

In the early hours of 23 June 2025, after stabbing, assaulting and strangling Ms Alexander, Alexander made a 999 call in which he calmly told police he had killed his wife and referred to issues surrounding money and control.

He then changed his clothes, put the bins out, and remained at the address with his dogs.

When police arrived, he again referred to money and inheritance. He initially admitted the killing, later changing his account.

At trial, Alexander claimed Ms Alexander had reached for a knife first and that he acted in self-defence. He also argued that depression and autism reduced his responsibility.

Medical experts concluded he was suffering from no more than mild depression and found no evidence of an abnormality of mind.

He will be sentenced on 1 September 2026.