A DEPRAVED killer who strangled a 79-year-old mum before calling sex chat lines as she lay dying has been found dead in prison.
Gareth Dackin a bid to destroy the evidence in 2016.
The vile 41-year-old, who was jailed for a minimum of 33 years, has now been found dead at HMP Frankland, near Durham, on Monday.
A Prison Service spokesperson said: “Gareth Dack died on April 21 2025 at HMP Frankland.
“As with all deaths in custody, the Prison and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”
Dack attacked Mrs Bell, a widowed mother of nine, cut up her clothing, then called sex chat lines on Babestation as she lay dead or dying.
The sick killer then tried to set fire to her house in a bid to destroy the evidence.
Dack was jailed for life following a three-week trial at Teesside Crown Court.
Sentencing, the trial judge said: “You killed Norma Bell in cold blood in her own home when she was defenceless.
“She had done nothing to deserve your violence, then you set fire to her home in a failed attempt to cover your tracks.”
Widow Norma had nine children, six of whom were adopted, and was known locally in Hartlepool, Teesside, as a generous woman.
But desperate addict Dack exploited that generosity when he needed cash for cocaine and cannabis.
Dack was a drug user, heavily in debt and had pressured her to lend him £10 the week before.
He returned a week later on April 2 last year with a view to taking more cash and attacked Norma before ransacking her house.
Dack left the house twice – to sell the telly to a pal and then to take drugs with the friend – both times returning to Norma's house to make more calls to chatlines.
Norma and her late husband John had three sons and were parents to six long-term foster children they considered their own.
A family statement after the trial said Norma had a “heart as big as a lion”.
The heartfelt statement added: “Her murder has left an enormous gap in our lives and forgiveness will never be given.”
