AN Essex Police murder case is taking centre stage in a prime-time documentary on ITV.
The Essex Millionaire Murders dives into the heartbreaking story of Carol and Stephen Baxter, who were found dead at their home in West Mersea back in April 2023. Here’s what we know about their killer, .
Who is Luke D'Wit?
was found guilty of murdering .
The couple were killed on April 9, 2023, by D’Wit, who was 34 at the time and lived in Churchfields, West Mersea.
Over several years, D’Wit manipulated and controlled the Baxter family, gradually gaining their trust.
Part of his deceit involved creating a number of fake identities, even pretending to be a doctor.
In March 2024, he was given a life sentence and is serving a minimum of 37 years behind bars.
The case has been described as one of the most complex investigations Essex has ever carried out.
The team is exploring the case in a two-part true-crime documentary series on ITV1, starting on Monday, 28 April 2025 and concluding on 29 April.
Produced by Candour, it features interviews with four Essex Police officers.
Carol and Stephen’s daughter, , has also contributed to the documentary, along with Tracy Ayling KC, who led the prosecution of D’Wit at Chelmsford Crown .
How did Luke D’Wit kill Carol and Stephen Baxter?
Carol and Stephen were found dead by their daughter at their home on Easter Sunday, April 9, 2023.
There were no visible injuries and no clear cause of death at first.
The last person to see them alive was their so-called friend, D’Wit, who’d visited on Good Friday.
Initially, police explored several possibilities, including carbon monoxide poisoning or the chance the couple had taken their own lives.
But those theories were quickly ruled out.
It wasn’t until toxicology results came back weeks later that the truth began to emerge that both Carol and Stephen had died from lethal doses of fentanyl.
What we do know is; the significant sentence handed down is entirely fitting for the pathological liar that he is.
Detective Inspector Lydia GeorgeEssex Police
That’s when the case turned into a murder investigation.
A thorough search of their home uncovered some worrying signs, including used fentanyl patches and a suspicious new Will.
This short, five-part document, which wasn’t the official one held by their solicitors, named D’Wit as the person to take control of Carol’s successful business, Cazsplash, known for its curved bathmats.
As evidence mounted, in July and charged with both murders.
Detectives then began unravelling years of manipulation.
D’Wit had first met Carol in 2014 through a mutual friend and started working as an IT consultant for her company.
Over time, he completely embedded himself in the Baxters’ lives.
He created more than 20 fake identities, including a fictional doctor named “Andrea Bowden”;, who claimed to specialise in Hashimoto’s disease, an illness Carol had.
Through this fake doctor, D’Wit directed Carol’s medical care, which ultimately worsened her health.
He backed up the lie by inventing more characters, people who supposedly had also been treated by Dr Bowden.
Some of these personas even sent voice notes, with D’Wit imitating a woman’s voice to play the role of “Jenny”;.
Messages were sent via WhatsApp and email, with every digital trace leading back to devices in D’Wit’s possession.
On April 7, 2023, he left the Baxters’ home just before 8pm, which was the last time they were seen alive.
Investigators later found he had not only given them fatal doses of fentanyl but had also in their home to keep an eye on them remotely.
In court, D’Wit tried to claim that Stephen had been involved in creating the fake identities, and that it was all part of an effort to help Carol’s health and mental wellbeing.
But that story quickly fell apart when prosecutors presented messages sent between Stephen and some of the fake personas, making it clear D’Wit had acted alone.
On March 20, 2024, the jury unanimously found him guilty of both murders.
Detective Inspector Lydia George, who was the senior investigating officer on the case, said in March 2024: “It is simply impossible to put a number on the lives of Carol and Stephen. They were loving, generous parents.
“They were entering a period in their lives where they should have been able to enjoy precious time with their grandchildren.
“They should have been planning holidays, looking forward to spending Christmases with family and living their lives to the full.
“Luke D’Wit took all that away in April 2023.
“He clearly enjoyed the control he exerted over people, especially Carol and Stephen.
“Ultimately, the only person in this world who knows why he acted this way is Luke D’Wit – and he has proven time and time again to be a manipulator.
“What we do know is; the significant sentence handed down is entirely fitting for the pathological liar that he is.”;
Watch The Essex Millionaire Murders on ITV on Monday, April 28 and Tuesday April 29 at 9pm.
