Smethwick man found guilty of murdering housemate before dismembering body
A brutal killer who treated his flatmate like a slave, then murdered him and cut his body into pieces is facing life in prison.
Lorenzo Simon stuffed Michael Spalding's body parts into two suitcases and dumped them in a Black Country canal.
Simon, 34, killed 39-year-old Mr Spalding at the house they shared in Oxford Road, Smethwick, on April 26 last year.
He forced him to redecorate his house working him day and night, often being given just one meal a day of pizza and chips.
A jury took more than 18 hours to convict him after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court.
Simon's girlfriend 35-year-old Michelle Bird, of the same address, was cleared of murder and manslaughter but pleaded guilty to assisting an offender by helping Simon to dump the suitcases in Birmingham Canal.
She was pregnant with the couple's child at the time. Both will be sentenced next week.
Police said other body parts were burned in an oil drum in the garden and described the killing as 'barbaric'.
Detective Inspector Harry Harrison said: "Michael was exploited in life by Simon and Bird and they afforded him no dignity in death. On the contrary, they treated him in the most despicable manner in order to conceal the crime."
Simon and Mr Spalding had been redecorating the house. Mr Spalding had moved in with his girlfriend while the work was carried out on the promise he would be helped to secure a property of his own if he did a good job.
But witnesses heard 'aggressive arguments' between Simon and Mr Spalding.
Simon admitted killing Mr Spalding but claimed self-defence. He said his friend had attacked him after he told him to leave. Simon, who is unemployed and has convictions for robbery, burglary, theft and drug supply, also said he had only punched Mr Spalding once and his friend had suddenly died. But a post-mortem revealed other injuries including a broken rib.
Simon initially denied knowledge of Mr Spalding's death, claiming he threw the 39-year-old out following a row, but later admitted assaulting him during a fight after police found tiny blood droplets on the flat's lounge wall. Bird said she was buying alcohol at the time of the murder but admitted helping Simon to dispose of the remains.
The first suitcase was found by canal workers on May 12. The second case was found by police divers on May 16.
Det Insp Harrison said: "Simon accepted Michael as a tenant on the agreement he would do up the flat. But he treated him like a slave, working him past midnight and then waking him early to work and given just one meal a day, usually pizza and chips.
"Michael finally broke and complained at their treatment.
"Simon said he hit Michael in the back and that he fell to the floor dead within seconds and claimed to have disposed of the body in panic. Bird said she was buying alcohol at the time of the killing but later admitted helping her boyfriend in the aftermath.
"This was a vicious murder and Simon went to considerable lengths to cover his tracks."
It is suspected Mr Spalding died from a stab wound to the neck evidence of which was destroyed when the body was disposed of.
