Housemate murdered friend before chopping up body, hiding it in suitcase and dumping in canal

 

A man murdered his friend and housemate before chopping up his body, hiding it in a suitcase and dumping it in a canal.
Lorenzo Simon, 34, claimed he acted in self-defence when he killed Michael Spalding at their home in Birmingham last April.
But after more than 15 hours of deliberation a jury convicted him of murder at Birmingham Crown Court today.
Simon's girlfriend Michelle Bird, 35, was cleared of the murder and manslaughter of 39-year-old Mr Spalding, known as Spud, after a four-week trial,

West Midlands Police

Gruesome: The body of Michael Spalding was stuffed into two suitcases

However, Bird previously admitted the charge of assisting an offender.
The pair were charged after police discovered the remains of Mr Spalding in a canal at Ladywood and Smethwick last May.
Sentencing is to take place next week, reports the Birmingham Mail.
Bird denied being at the house on Oxford Road, Smethwick, at the time of the killing.
However she admitted a charge of assisting an offender for helping Simon dump Mr Spalding's body in a canal in two suitcases.

 

Killing: The pair were charged after police discovered the remains of Mr Spalding in a canal

Delaying sentencing until next week, Justice Kathryn Thirlwall said; "Lorenzo Simon you have been convicted of murder.
"As you know the sentence for murder is life imprisonment.
"The question is the minimum amount of time you should serve before the consideration of parole requires consideration."
Both he and Bird were told they will face sentence either next Wednesday or Thursday.

 

Dispute: Witnesses said they had seen Simon shouting at Spalding on several occasions

They were both remanded into custody.
During the trial it was heard Simon and Mr Spalding were redecorating the house they were sharing on Oxford Road.
Witnesses said they had seen Simon shouting at Mr Spalding on several occasions.
Then at the end of April they said fires began to burn in the back garden of Number 113 were Simon and Bird were living.