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about mental health at the The Stigma. Dot org.

1:35

Police believe Matthew Pike knew his

1:37

killer. They're now examining the possibility

1:39

that they met on the internet.

1:45

Nottingham, which is located in the

1:47

East Midlands region of England, has

1:50

a rich history that dates back to at

1:52

least the 6th century. It

1:55

gained prominence in medieval times as a

1:57

centre for the production of textiles on

1:59

lease. contributing significantly

2:01

to England's economy. It

2:05

progressed over the years, becoming a

2:08

hub the both of a vibrant

2:10

cultural scene with theatres, music venues

2:12

and art galleries. One

2:15

of the key institutions of the city is

2:17

Nottingham Trent University, a dynamic

2:20

and fast-forward thinking university with

2:22

a strong reputation for excellence

2:24

in teaching and research. The

2:28

university traces its origins back to

2:30

the 19th century but has evolved

2:32

over the years to become one of

2:34

the UK's leading universities. Students

2:37

in Nottingham reside in a variety

2:39

of accommodations scattered throughout the city,

2:42

ranging from university halls to

2:44

privately rented apartments. The

2:48

city boasts a plethora of bars and restaurants,

2:51

ensuring that there's always something happening at night

2:53

from local pub quizzes to karaoke nights.

2:57

For those who opt for local rentals, proximity

3:00

to the city centre is always a

3:02

key factor. North

3:04

Sherwood Street in particular was

3:07

a favoured location amongst students due

3:09

to its affordable Victorian era flats

3:11

and close proximity to both the

3:13

university and the bustling city centre.

3:16

On the 19th of September 2008 Naomi

3:18

Rogers was making her

3:21

way back to her shared flat on

3:23

North Sherwood Street. Having

3:25

recently relocated from St. Ann's, Naomi

3:28

had chosen North Sherwood Street with

3:30

the belief that it offered a safer

3:32

environment. Her decision

3:35

had stemmed from a scary experience in

3:37

St. Ann's where she had been mugged.

3:40

The streets popularity among students was

3:42

evident but as Naomi neared the

3:44

Orange Tree pub, she

3:46

was met by a scene of disarray. Flashing

3:50

lights illuminated the area with

3:52

police cars lining the streets

3:54

and cordons preventing access. Matthew

4:12

Pike was born to parents Kim and William on the

4:14

23rd of August in 1988. The family

4:20

chose to settle down in Stowmarket, acclaimed

4:22

in picturesque town, Nestled in Suffolk,

4:24

England. As the

4:27

youngest member of the family, with an older brother

4:29

named Adam, Matthew brought joy

4:31

and laughter into their lives from the very

4:33

beginning. Described by

4:36

his parents as an easy-going baby, child

4:38

and teenager, Matthew possessed a

4:40

quiet and reserved demeanor, yet

4:42

his sharp wit and infectious

4:44

humour never failed to brighten the atmosphere

4:46

at home. His magnetic

4:49

personality extended beyond the confines of

4:51

his family, as he was

4:53

known among his friends as the ultimate joker, somebody

4:56

who was always ready to lighten the mood. One

5:00

of his closest friends, Andy, fondly recalled,

5:03

This guy was one of my best friends at school.

5:06

He was a great and very intelligent guy, a wicked

5:08

sense of humour and friends who loved him.

5:12

Matthew attended Combs Middle School in

5:14

Stowmarket, where he left a

5:16

lasting impression on both his peers and

5:18

teachers alike. The

5:21

school's head teacher, Ian Crissell, fondly

5:23

remembered Matthew, describing him as a

5:25

very conscientious student, unlike

5:27

by all members of staff. Dennis

5:30

Matthew entered his teenage years,

5:32

his fascination with computers deepened.

5:36

He delved into web design and

5:38

developed a keen interest in journalism, as

5:42

his mother recalled. We didn't

5:44

know anything he did on the computer, we

5:46

just know he was good on anything to do

5:48

with computers. He was obsessed with

5:50

it really. Matthew had

5:52

always been drawn to video games, from

5:55

classics like Game Boy and PlayStation,

5:57

to computer-based games. However,

6:00

his true obsession ignited when he

6:02

discovered Advance Wars, a video game

6:05

that debuted on the Game Boy

6:07

Advance in 2001 and rapidly gained

6:09

popularity. In

6:12

Advance Wars, players command various

6:14

military units on grid-based maps,

6:16

engaging in strategic battles against

6:18

enemy forces. The

6:21

gameplay involves capturing cities and bases,

6:24

deploying units strategically, managing

6:27

resources and exploiting terrain

6:29

advantages to gain victory. If

6:32

you could span hours immersed in the game, lagging

6:35

it to a more technical version of

6:37

chess. The

6:39

player takes on the persona of a

6:41

commanding officer and then chooses from a

6:43

lineup for different characters, each

6:45

with their own special abilities and weaknesses.

6:49

Matthew relish the challenge of playing against

6:51

opponents from across the world, gradually building

6:54

up his army and honing his strategic

6:56

skills. The

6:58

game boasted a substantial fanbase, and

7:01

Matthew actively engaged with various online

7:03

forums dedicated to it. Under

7:06

the Elias shade, he eagerly shared

7:09

his insights and strategies with

7:11

fellow enthusiasts. Alongside

7:14

his gaming pursuits, Matthew showcased his

7:16

prolific writing skills in the

7:18

field of science fiction by contributing

7:20

to fanfiction.net. Then

7:24

at the age of 16, Matthew crossed paths

7:26

with a girl his own age on

7:28

a forum dedicated to Advance Wars. Her

7:32

name was Joanna, and she came from Selby

7:34

in Yorkshire. Instantly

7:37

hitting it off, Matthew eagerly anticipated

7:39

their daily online conversations, often

7:42

rushing home from school to connect with Joanna

7:44

online. Their

7:46

connection flourished, prompting Matthew to

7:48

make the journey to Selby under the guise

7:51

of meeting a friend for a concert. He

7:54

was a little bit embarrassed to admit the truth to

7:56

his parents. However,

7:58

upon meeting Joanna, he was a very good friend. in person,

8:00

their chemistry was undeniable, and

8:03

they quickly transformed their relationship

8:05

from virtual to real world.

8:08

As their bond deepened, they introduced each

8:10

other to the respect of families, both

8:13

sets of parents unanimously declaring them

8:15

the perfect match. Much

8:18

like Ma, Hujuana shared a passion for

8:20

computers, and they often spent late nights

8:23

immersed in advance wars together. As

8:26

the first three years of their relationship

8:28

flew by, the couple found themselves graduating

8:31

and preparing to embark on their university

8:33

journey. They wanted

8:36

to be together permanently, so made

8:38

the decision to both enrol at

8:40

Nottingham Trent University. So

8:44

by 2008, life

8:46

was brimming with promise for 20-year-old

8:48

Matthew Pike. He

8:51

and Hujuana had recently settled in two

8:53

Grade 2 listed Victorian flat above the

8:55

Orange Tree pub on North Sherwood

8:57

Street, in the city of Nottingham.

9:01

Matthew had also just taken the leap to

9:03

pursue a degree in computer science at Nottingham

9:05

Trent University, which was scheduled to begin in

9:07

October of 2008. He

9:12

had previously studied physics, but realised that it

9:14

wasn't for him, and that computer science

9:16

would be a much better fit. As

9:20

for Hujuana, she was studying environmental science,

9:23

and she worked part-time as a sales

9:25

assistant at Rohan. In

9:28

Nottingham, Matthew and Hujuana enjoyed a

9:30

simple, yet fulfilling life. They

9:33

both held part-time jobs, with Matthew

9:35

working as a teaching assistant as

9:38

part of a placement under the

9:40

University Student Dissociates Scheme. While

9:43

they lived above a bar and just a stone's

9:45

throw away from many others, they preferred to stay

9:47

at home. They

9:49

sometimes went for walks during the day, but

9:52

they much preferred to be in each other's

9:54

company rather than partying. At

9:57

night, the young couple liked to read books, or

9:59

current up in front of the

10:01

television to watch Top Gear and QI.

10:05

But life for Matthew and Joanna would soon

10:07

take a dramatic turn. On

10:22

the evening of the 19th September 2008, Joanna

10:26

was returning to the flat she shared with

10:28

Matthew after her work day. Turning

10:31

the corner, her eyes caught the side of the

10:33

familiar facade of the pub below, its lights

10:36

and activity brightening up the otherwise

10:38

dark road. She walked

10:41

up the staircase to the first floor and

10:43

fumbled in her handbag for her

10:46

case. She inserted the key into

10:48

the lock and turned it. When

10:52

she opened up the door, she was surprised

10:54

to see that the flat was engulfed in

10:56

darkness. Matthew

10:58

should have been at home, but the darkness

11:00

and quietness told her otherwise. It

11:04

wasn't like Matthew to not let her know if she

11:06

was going out somewhere. The

11:08

only sound that Joanna could hear was

11:10

distant murmurs of voices from the pub

11:12

below. Joanna

11:15

switched on the lights, but

11:17

the illumination unveiled a trail of

11:20

blood. Joanna's

11:22

heart pounded in her chest as

11:24

she called out to Matthew, but was

11:26

met by silence. Joanna

11:29

stepped forward with her gaze

11:32

fixed on the trail of blood. He

11:35

led her towards the bedroom where blood

11:37

was spattered on the walls and smeared

11:40

across shoes and trainers. As

11:44

Joanna drew closer to the bedroom, her

11:46

eyes were drawn to the crumpled figure on the floor. It

11:51

was Matthew, dressed only in

11:53

his dressing gown, his body surrounded by

11:55

a pool of blood. Joanna

11:58

rushed to his side and saw the light of the night. and reached out to touch

12:01

him, only to recoil at

12:03

how cold his body was. Her

12:06

eyes frantically searched for any sign of

12:08

life, but it quickly became

12:11

clear that Matthew was dead. There

12:14

were stab wounds peppered all across his

12:17

body. Joanna

12:19

reached for her mobile phone and

12:21

immediately called 999. The

12:28

paramedics were the first to arrive, but it

12:30

was clear that nothing could be done for

12:32

Matthew. He had evidently

12:35

been dead for some time. The

12:38

police arrived shortly thereafter, followed

12:40

by forensic experts. Matthew's

12:44

body was documented and photographed before

12:46

he was transported to the mortuary,

12:49

where it was discovered that he had sustained 86 stab wounds.

12:54

The flat was cordoned off with crime scene tip,

12:56

while two uniformed officers stood guard

12:59

outside. The perimeter

13:01

was extended from the junction of Shakes,

13:03

securing the area from prying

13:05

eyes. Inside

13:08

the flat there was no forced entry, indicating

13:10

that the killer had been let in by

13:13

Matthew himself. The

13:15

living room had been ransacked, and

13:17

it appeared as though several items had been

13:19

stolen. On the

13:22

side of the computer, the forensic

13:24

experts noticed something written in blood.

13:27

It was the letters D, A, and

13:29

V. Based

13:35

on the blood evidence inside the flat, it

13:37

appeared as though Matthew had been attacked as soon as

13:40

he opened up the front door. He

13:43

was then pursued throughout the flat by the

13:45

killer, as he fought desperately for

13:47

his life. As

13:49

he collapsed close to the bedroom, the

13:51

killer appeared to kneel beside him

13:54

and continue their attack. Initially

13:57

there was speculation of a robbery.

14:00

gone wrong, but as

14:02

detectives meticulously pieced together the

14:04

evidence, doubts began

14:06

to surface. The

14:08

ransacking, although

14:10

chaotic, seemed haphazard, with

14:13

valuable items left untouched. It

14:17

became increasingly clear to detectives that

14:19

Massey had been deliberately singled out

14:21

and the chaos within the home

14:23

was a calculated attempt to

14:25

mislead detectives. Chief

14:28

Inspector Tony Hayden, who

14:30

was leading the investigation,

14:33

commented, ''We are exploring all

14:35

possible avenues to establish who is

14:37

responsible for Massey's murder. While

14:39

nine of inquiry is that this was not

14:42

a random attack and that Massey

14:44

may have known the person who

14:46

attacked him.'' As

14:48

the investigation intensified, detectives diligently combed

14:50

through CCTV footage from the vicinity

14:53

of the flat. They

14:55

were hopeful that a camera might have

14:58

captured the movements of Matthew's killer, either

15:00

approaching the scene or hastily departing from

15:02

it. Given the

15:04

frenzied nature of the murder, which included

15:06

86 stab wounds, the

15:09

killer would likely be drenched in blood. In

15:12

a bid to broaden their search, detectives issued

15:15

a public appeal, urging anyone

15:17

who may have spotted an individual

15:19

with a blood-stained face, body, or

15:21

clothing to come forward

15:23

quickly. Meanwhile,

15:25

as detectives delved deeper into their

15:28

investigation, they sought out Joanna to

15:30

glean additional insights into Massey's life.

15:33

Their aim was to uncover any potential

15:36

enemies or persons who might

15:38

have harbored ill intentions towards him. There

15:41

was one person who struck out in

15:43

Joanna's mind immediately and it just so

15:46

happened that the first three letters of

15:48

their name had been written in blood

15:50

on the side of the computer. set

16:00

up their own forum, which was

16:02

named War Central and was

16:04

dedicated to the game Advanced Wars. There

16:08

were around 50 devoted fans of the game who

16:11

actively participated in the discussions on the

16:13

forum. But

16:15

over time this virtual community burgeoned

16:17

to a melting pot of friendships,

16:20

drawing enthusiasts from various corners of

16:22

the world. It

16:25

evolved beyond a mere platform for

16:27

game-related discourse, and waved itself

16:29

into the fabric of their daily lives. Let's

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18:10

Participants freely shared snippets of their personal

18:12

narratives, transcending gaming to

18:14

touch upon topics as diverse

18:16

as relationships, family

18:18

dynamics, current events and

18:21

academic pursuits. The

18:23

forum had fostered genuine connections, enduring

18:27

the profound impact of online

18:29

interactions. However,

18:31

amidst this, it remained

18:33

an inherent truth that the

18:35

identities behind digital avatars often

18:37

obscured the true nature of

18:39

individuals. It was

18:42

mostly a male-dominated world, and

18:44

as the only woman in the forum, Joanna

18:47

was a hit with the men. Among

18:50

the online community of advanced wars

18:52

enthusiasts was a man who went by

18:54

the user name Eagle the Lightning.

18:58

While Matthew and Joanna didn't have extensive

19:00

knowledge about Eagle the Lightning, they

19:02

knew that he was German and that

19:05

his first name was David. Through

19:08

Joanna's interactions with David, she

19:10

discovered he had a troubled past. His

19:13

parents had abandoned him at the tender age

19:15

of 10, leaving him to

19:17

be raised by his grandmother. Joanna

19:20

empathised with David's story, and

19:23

their conversations soon transitioned from the

19:25

public forum to private messages. Despite

19:29

David's expressed interest in pursuing more than

19:31

a friendship, Joanna remained

19:33

loyal to her relationship with

19:35

Matthew. Undeterred

19:37

by Joanna's commitment to Matthew, David

19:40

persisted in his pursuit. Seeking

19:44

to deepen their connection, he saw Joanna

19:46

on Facebook. Upon

19:48

viewing her profile photo, David

19:51

found himself captivated. Joanna

19:54

embodied everything that he admired, from

19:57

her love for computers and video games, to

19:59

her kindness. Plus,

20:02

Joanna had red hair, and

20:04

David had a thing for redheads. This

20:08

only fueled his desire to learn more about

20:10

her and ultimately pursue

20:12

a romantic relationship. One

20:16

afternoon upon logging on to the Forum, Joanna

20:19

was confronted with a message from David

20:22

telling her that he had a crush on her.

20:25

Joanna replied, I'm

20:28

flattered, but nothing will come of it. I've

20:30

been with Matthew for two and a half years. It

20:34

was evident that Joanna wasn't interested,

20:37

but David's persistence knew no bounds.

20:41

He bombarded Joanna with incessant

20:43

inquiries about Matthew's whereabouts and

20:45

their relationship status, refusing

20:48

to accept her rejection. Driven

20:51

by an insatiable desire to possess

20:53

every detail of Joanna's life, David

20:56

delved into the depths of social

20:58

media. He

21:00

utilized his computer skills to unearth

21:03

information about her past, education,

21:05

and even her social circle.

21:09

He found her online journal and

21:11

read through every single page. Joanna's

21:14

sense of privacy was shattered as

21:17

David's relentless stalking extended beyond the

21:19

confines of the online Forum. Then

21:23

on the 3rd of May, 2008, Joanna

21:25

was met with yet another

21:27

unsettling intrusion into her personal

21:30

space. David

21:32

had posted a handwritten letter on the

21:34

Forum that was addressed to Joanna, professing

21:37

his unwavering devotion. He

21:40

had written, I love you, Jojo,

21:42

more than anything else in my life. I

21:45

shouldn't, but I can't help it. And

21:48

to be honest, it's a great feeling. You're

21:50

my first thought when I wake up and

21:53

my last when I go to sleep. Joanna

21:56

was horrified to say that the letter

21:58

contained references to intimate aspects

22:00

of her life, such as

22:02

her school, friends and hobbies. It

22:06

became apparent that David's knowledge was

22:08

gleaned from his invasive online surveillance.

22:12

This was only the beginning of his

22:14

disturbing obsession. Although

22:22

Matthew found David's interest in his

22:24

girlfriend irritating, he chose to overlook

22:26

it. Both he

22:29

and Joanna believed that David meant no harm,

22:31

assuming he would eventually realize this

22:33

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23:00

mile powertrain and 5-year, 60,000 mile

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basic. Woyantees are limited. He repels the

23:04

details. However, David's

23:06

infatuation with Joanna persisted

23:09

and escalated over time. Eventually,

23:13

he managed to obtain Joanna's mobile

23:15

number and called her on the 13th

23:17

of June, claiming that he only

23:19

wished to discuss forum matters. Then

23:23

the following day, while Matthew and Joanna

23:25

were on vacation in Devon with her

23:27

parents, David sees the opportunity

23:29

to gather more information about them. He

23:32

began messaging other forum

23:34

members privately, attempting to ascertain

23:37

their whereabouts. He

23:39

had gathered that they lived above a pub

23:41

in Nottingham, close to a park, but

23:44

he wasn't sure of the exact location. He

23:48

had searched on Google Maps, but

23:50

there was a handful of places that matched the

23:52

description. So

23:54

David reached out to a man named Gavin

23:57

Sillid on the forum, who claimed

23:59

not to know their whereabouts. whereabouts, at

24:01

least at first. However,

24:04

as their conversation unfolded throughout the

24:06

day, Gavin eventually disclosed Matthew

24:08

and Joanna's address to David.

24:12

That night, David posted on the forum

24:14

his intention to travel to Nottingham on

24:16

the 21st of June, a

24:19

post that Matthew and Joanna missed since they

24:22

were still on holiday. Their

24:24

knowledge of David's plans only surfaced on

24:26

the 28th of June, when

24:29

another member of the forum, James

24:31

Mellor, texted them about it. They

24:35

brushed it off as a joke, thinking

24:37

that David would never actually make

24:39

the trip over. After

24:42

all, he barely knew either of them. Or

24:45

at least so they thought. The

24:48

couple's doubts dissolved when they returned home on

24:50

the 21st to find a

24:53

man sitting outside the pub below

24:55

their flat. He

24:57

approached them and told them that

24:59

he was David, aka Eagle

25:02

the Lightning. Matthew

25:05

warmly welcomed David inside, but

25:07

Joanna couldn't shake her apprehension.

25:11

David had been unsettling her for months, and

25:14

finding him outside their flat only heightened

25:16

her unease. Despite

25:19

Matthew's hospitality, Joanna began reaching

25:21

out to local hotels to

25:24

find alternative accommodations for David.

25:27

But unfortunately, everything was

25:29

already booked up for the night. Matthew

25:32

told David that he could stand their flat for the

25:35

night, and they would help them find

25:37

a hotel first thing in the morning. When

25:41

Matthew left the room, David told

25:43

Joanna that he hoped he hadn't given her the

25:45

wrong impression, and that he wanted

25:47

to keep seeing her. She

25:50

told him that he wasn't weird, but that

25:52

he had freaked her out a little bit since he

25:54

had managed to find out where she lived. That

25:58

night, Joanna found a difficult decision. sleep. Her

26:01

mind was consumed by worries about

26:03

David, who was sleeping on the

26:06

floor at the foot of her bed. In

26:09

the middle of the night she sat up

26:12

in bed and glanced over towards David. He

26:16

was staring directly at her, and

26:18

she wondered if he had been doing that the

26:20

entire night. The

26:22

following morning Joanna informed David that she had

26:24

booked him into a room at the local

26:27

Premier Inn. Matthew

26:29

and Joanna tried to stare clear of David

26:31

while he was in Nottingham, and

26:33

he reached out to several other members of

26:35

the Forum. Some

26:37

of them agreed to meet with him, but

26:40

it soon became clear to them that

26:42

the only thing he wanted to talk

26:44

about was Joanna. Following

26:50

David's trip to Nottingham, his fixation

26:52

on Joanna only intensified,

26:54

a behaviour noted by other Forum members.

26:58

Each interaction with them on the Forum

27:00

seemed to revolve solely around Joanna and

27:03

how much he loved her, causing

27:05

discomfort among the Forum members. Some

27:09

of them chatted amongst themselves, and they

27:11

all said the same thing, that

27:14

David was weird and they needed to get rid

27:16

of him. David

27:19

eventually caught on that he was being spoken

27:21

about by the other Forum members, and it

27:23

made him furious. But

27:25

his anger was solely directed at

27:28

Matthew. One

27:30

day David had messaged another Forum member

27:32

a list of people who he said

27:35

needed to be erased. At

27:38

the top of the list was Matthew, and

27:40

David had said, seriously,

27:43

the whole thing will end in at least one

27:45

of us three dying. He

27:48

then added, I'm developing a

27:50

strong desire to grab his head and smash

27:52

it against a wall. Then

27:55

on the 16th of July, David made

27:57

another reappearance in Nottingham. By

28:00

this point, Matthew was acutely aware

28:02

of how David's presence affected Joanna.

28:06

Learning that David had actively sought

28:08

out their address and continued to

28:10

focus on Joanna in his online

28:12

interactions only confirmed his

28:14

obsession. When David

28:16

showed up at their flat again that afternoon,

28:19

Matthew bluntly instructed him to leave

28:21

and to never contact him or

28:23

Joanna again. Two

28:26

days later, David returned to Germany. Soon

28:30

after, Matthew took to the Forum to list

28:33

19 reasons why he hated

28:35

David. He had

28:37

written, I hate you

28:39

because you decided to come into our lives. I

28:42

hate you for ever laying eyes on the girl

28:44

I have dedicated my life to. I

28:47

hate you for your desperation. However,

28:50

David persisted, continuing to

28:52

pastor other Forum members and

28:55

prying for information about Matthew

28:57

and Joanna. Then

28:59

on the 31st of July, he borrowed

29:01

his uncle's car and drove to Nottingham

29:03

through the Channel Tunnel. In

29:07

the early hours of the following morning, at

29:09

around 2.45am, he

29:12

was involved in a car accident on the

29:14

M11 North. Colliding

29:16

with an HGV, David's uncle's car veered

29:19

off the road and into a field.

29:22

Sustaining a wrist injury, David

29:24

was attended to by an ambulance and spent

29:26

the night in the hospital. While

29:30

here, he also spoke with police and

29:32

claimed that he was en route to see

29:35

his girlfriend in Nottingham. Despite

29:37

his car being totaled, David remained

29:40

undeterred. After

29:43

being discharged from the hospital the following

29:45

morning, he promptly boarded a

29:47

train to Nottingham. Upon

29:50

arrival, he headed to an internet cafe

29:53

where he contacted Gavin, another Forum

29:55

member, claiming that he

29:57

was in Nottingham to see Joanna. Despite

30:00

Gavin's attempts to reason with him, labelling

30:03

his behaviour as stalker-like,

30:05

David persisted. Gavin

30:08

immediately reached out to Matthew and warned

30:10

him that David was back in Nottingham.

30:14

When Joanna Dis embarked from the bus near

30:16

her flat that afternoon, she

30:18

was shocked to find David waiting for her. She

30:22

fled in fear, managing to reach the

30:24

safety of her flat, but David

30:26

continued to reach out to both her and

30:28

Matthew. The following

30:31

day, Matthew and Joanna reluctantly agreed to

30:33

make David at a local park, hoping

30:35

to persuade him to leave them alone for good.

30:39

However, when they arrived, they were

30:41

met with David's emotional distress. Despite

30:45

struggling to communicate through tears and

30:48

dry heaves, Joanna firmly

30:50

reiterated her lack of interest in

30:52

him. It

30:55

appeared that David finally understood.

30:58

He left Nottingham the next day and returned

31:00

home to Germany. Matthew

31:03

and Joanna believed that they had seen the last

31:05

of him, but they soon

31:07

realised that shaking him off wouldn't be

31:10

that easy. As

31:19

soon as David landed back in Germany, he

31:21

began to repeatedly call Joanna, prompting

31:23

her to block him. David

31:26

was furious and started to bombard

31:29

her with messages and threats via other

31:31

formats. He told

31:33

her that if she continued to ignore him,

31:35

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started today. Joanna

33:56

eventually unblocked David Hoping

33:58

that she could reason with him. But he

34:00

wouldn't listen. She advised

34:03

him to see a psychiatrist. David

34:05

responded by telling her that he was

34:07

going to come to Nottingham and kill

34:09

himself in front of her. She.

34:12

Was terrified of what he was capable of.

34:15

And eventually David was blocked embalmed

34:17

from the form. To.

34:20

On and Matthew decided to just give it ever

34:22

turned out that their flaws again. It.

34:24

Would immediately call police. It

34:28

seemed that he had possibly gotten the message.

34:30

But. Then in September David reached i

34:33

to Matthew with one final a

34:35

meal. At. Read.

34:38

Or something I would like to give to you. Not

34:41

going to say what it is so. That.

34:43

You will love it! After

34:51

learning avoid the disturbing behavior of Df

34:53

Id. Attacked us were keen to

34:55

learn more. When.

34:57

The couple slot had been searched it appear

35:00

to so Matthew had tried to write his

35:02

name. The. Ladders

35:04

de a fi or scroll. And blood

35:06

on the side of the computer. That's

35:08

a really written by Matthew before he died.

35:12

It was as if he was trying to niamh his

35:14

killer. The.

35:16

Detectives launched in that tracing operation.

35:19

And. It didn't take them long to figure out

35:21

the David was a twenty one year old

35:23

man named The Of Advice. He lived close

35:25

to. Frankfurt. In Germany. After

35:29

Matthew was found dead. He. Posted on

35:31

do on his face the. I

35:33

will pray for you. Do. You. Must be

35:35

suffering. And. Sorry for causing you

35:37

so much trouble lately. I hope you

35:40

won't lose all your hope. Will. Be there

35:42

for you! David.

35:44

It also reached out to some other people on

35:46

the form. Soon as

35:48

mass he was killed. Everybody on

35:50

the forums suspected that the of it

35:53

was involved. I

35:55

didn't tear him from contacting them. among

35:58

the people he contacted David was David

36:00

Quinn. He told him, People

36:04

are willing to go to the funeral, and seriously,

36:06

if I knew the date, I would go there.

36:09

You think I did it, and so do

36:11

a few people, I believe. David

36:18

Hise was born on the 19th of June 1987 in

36:22

Frankfurt, West Germany, to a

36:24

Bolivian mother and a German father. His

36:27

childhood was marked by upheaval, beginning with his

36:30

parents' divorce when he was just six

36:32

years old. Following

36:34

the divorce, David went to live with his

36:36

grandmother, as his mother remarried

36:38

and his father's presence in his

36:40

life became sporadic. Raised

36:43

primarily by his grandmother, David

36:46

experienced a sense of isolation and

36:48

detachment from his family. Despite

36:52

living relatively close to his mother, she

36:54

struggled to find the time for him, further

36:57

contributing to his solitude. His

37:00

father's absence exacerbated his feelings

37:02

of loneliness, leaving him

37:05

to navigate childhood largely on his

37:07

own. Throughout his

37:09

school years, David grappled with extreme shyness,

37:12

earning him the label of an outsider

37:14

among his peers. Even

37:17

into adulthood at the age of 21, David's

37:20

bedroom retained a distinctly childlike

37:23

atmosphere, adorned with

37:25

cartoon wallpaper, bunk beds, and

37:27

a collection of Mr. Man books. While

37:31

holding a job as an office junior,

37:33

David's true sanctuary lay within the digital

37:35

realm of his computer. He

37:38

devoted countless hours to online interactions,

37:41

especially on the forum established by

37:44

Matthew and Joanna. Immersed

37:47

in virtual worlds and global

37:49

conversations, David von Solus

37:51

in connection within the confines of his

37:53

screen. Despite

37:55

an attempt to find purpose in military

37:57

service, by enrolling in the German Army

38:00

me, David's tenure was short-lived. He

38:03

was expelled after just two weeks, after

38:06

he was deemed mentally unstable. Following

38:09

his online interactions with Matthew and

38:11

Joanna, David began weaving a

38:14

fabricated narrative in his offline

38:16

life. He

38:19

told his colleagues he had a

38:21

girlfriend from Nottingham and spun elaborate

38:23

plans of relocating to be with

38:25

her and pursuing studies in the

38:27

area. But

38:29

detectives were closing in on him, and

38:31

on the 24th of September, David

38:34

was tracked down near Frankfurt and

38:36

arrested on suspicion of murder. After

38:40

David's arrest, detectives delved deeper into

38:42

his movements following his departure from

38:44

Nottingham in July. They

38:47

secured a search warrant for his

38:49

home and came across blood-stained clothing

38:51

and bags. His

38:53

computer revealed even more significant findings

38:56

connecting him to Matthew's murder.

38:59

It was revealed that on the evening of the

39:01

11th of September, he booked a

39:04

flight to Birmingham for the 18th. Subsequently,

39:07

he revisited the love letter he

39:09

had written for Joanna back in

39:11

May, scrutinising its contents. The

39:14

night before his flight, David connected with

39:17

his sister, requesting her

39:19

to log onto the War's central website

39:21

on the 19th. Detectives

39:23

deduced that this was an attempt to

39:25

establish an alibi, suggesting that

39:27

he was online in Germany during the time

39:30

of the murder. Further

39:32

analysis of his computer

39:34

actively uncovered alarming details.

39:38

That same day, David had created two

39:41

documents. One

39:43

bore the title Confession,

39:45

and it masqueraded as a

39:47

suicide note allegedly written by

39:49

Matthew. Within the

39:51

note, Matthew had expressed a loss of

39:54

love for Joanna And said

39:56

goodbye to his family. Peter.

40:01

It's. Intricate knowledge of Marquees family

40:03

suggested a disturbing level of

40:05

insight possessed by D Is

40:07

it. The. Second

40:10

argument was titled I made a

40:12

decision. And it was a

40:14

suicide New written by himself. And.

40:17

The Know: He said that Matthew had driven him

40:19

to take his own. nice. The

40:23

detectives continued in their investigation.

40:25

And learned that on the it into September David

40:28

caught a boss to Frankfurt airport. He told

40:30

his family that he was going to a party.

40:32

That. He flew to Birmingham via Amsterdam.

40:35

And arrive shortly after nine pm that

40:37

night. Cctv footage

40:40

captured him touching a tree and

40:42

to Birmingham. And. Them walking over

40:44

to do that into on a slap. In

40:47

the cctv footage, it was clear that he

40:49

was wearing multiple layers of clothing. Presumably

40:52

to change all of the bloody clothing

40:54

following the murder. Give.

40:57

It slapped overnight on the roof of

40:59

the fluff. To.

41:01

On the left for work the next morning, just

41:03

before seven a m. And. I'd

41:06

avoid seven thirty am. David.

41:08

Climbed on from the roof. Some.

41:10

Minutes later Matthew was attacked and killed as

41:13

he opened up the front door. Initially,

41:16

Day of The denied any involvement in

41:18

Marti's murder. Claiming. That

41:20

he wasn't even in Nottingham at the times.

41:22

The crime. He

41:24

told attacked us to loop it is online

41:26

activity. To. Show that he was in

41:29

Germany on the form at the time. Detectives

41:32

already knew that he had asked his sister

41:34

to log on. And

41:36

confronted with weird if the evidence

41:39

meticulously gathered by detectives. If.

41:41

It eventually also to narrative. According.

41:45

To the of the to point, he admitted

41:47

to traveling to Nottingham and visiting Marchionne Do

41:49

on a slot that morning. He

41:52

claimed that his initial intention was merely

41:54

to be Matthew up. He.

41:57

described knocking on the front door and

42:00

said that when Matthew opened, he tried to

42:02

punch him. According

42:04

to David, Matthew turned around and ran back

42:06

into the flat, and a fistfight

42:08

ensued, but David said the

42:10

punches weren't landing. He

42:13

said that Matthew was being abusive to him, so

42:16

he told him to shut up and listen. At

42:18

this moment, David said the knife he had brought

42:20

along with him slipped out of his waistband, and

42:23

Matthew tried to grab it. David

42:26

asserted that he only sought to defend himself

42:28

by attempting to push Matthew's arms away, fearing

42:31

potential harm. He

42:34

recounted a chaotic struggle, alleging

42:36

that he stumbled backwards and collided with the

42:38

table, causing the knife to fall from Matthew's

42:40

grasp. In David's

42:42

version of events, he described thwarting

42:45

Matthew's attempts to retrieve the knife

42:47

by restraining him physically. He

42:50

claimed that Matthew's desperate actions, including kicking

42:52

him in the back, fueled

42:54

his own determination to secure the weapon

42:56

first, fearing for his own

42:58

safety. He said that

43:01

he was so afraid that when he finally

43:03

got his hands on the knife, he stabbed

43:05

Matthew repeatedly. He

43:07

said that he only stopped when Matthew stopped struggling.

43:11

After David's extradition back to the United

43:13

Kingdom, he was charged with the

43:15

murder of Matthew on the 26th of November.

43:18

He was ordered to stand trial, which commenced

43:21

on the 28th of April 2009 at Nottingham Crown Court.

43:27

Accompanied by his defence team, David entered the

43:29

courtroom to take his place alongside them. The

43:33

public gallery swelled with Matthew's grieving

43:35

loved ones as the trial proceedings

43:37

unfolded. During the

43:39

opening statements, prosecutors presented their case to

43:41

the jury. Prosecutor

43:44

Sean Smith outlined David's disturbing

43:46

obsession with Joanna and detailed

43:48

his alleged plan to kill Matthew, while staging

43:51

it to appear as a suicide. Prosecutor

43:55

Smith informed the jury that the printed suicide

43:57

note was discovered in David's suitcase as well as the

43:59

jury. It on his computer. I

44:02

have to because of the frenzied nature of the

44:05

murder. it was apparent that Matthew hadn't taken to

44:07

some nice. Prosecutor said

44:09

the day the Dan resorted to ransacking

44:11

the home to give the appearance the

44:13

murder was a robbery gone wrong. According

44:16

to the prosecution's narrative is David waited

44:19

on the roof top as the slot

44:21

overnight. Observing to on and

44:23

leaving for work the next morning before

44:25

launching his attack. He. Stay at

44:27

it. It's. The prosecution's case

44:29

that Matthew had absolutely no chance

44:32

that.the. war. Where. The applaud his.

44:35

He. Was stabbed right away by this

44:37

defendant. After Marty

44:39

was dead, diva change died of his bloody

44:41

clothing and stole a pair of Marty series

44:43

and a baseball cap. Then.

44:46

Embarked on his. Return. Trip to Germany,

44:48

And discarded the murder weapon along the way.

44:52

David's. Japan's wasn't that he had and

44:54

carried out the murder, but instead that

44:56

he had acted in self defense. Joanna.

44:59

Was the first witness to testify on

45:01

behalf the prosecution. And. She detail

45:04

the of that obsession with her. She.

45:07

Said when he first showed up at

45:09

their flawed and slapped overnight, she was

45:11

petrified. She described

45:13

going into the bathroom and crying. After

45:17

he last the only thing stealing never left

45:19

her. She said to the

45:22

jury. I was afraid that he

45:24

is going to turn up again. And. I didn't

45:26

know what he was capable of. Drama

45:29

testified that she began to blunt David.

45:32

Hoping that he would get the hint. She.

45:35

Was asked why she didn't just block him. But

45:38

she replied. I was

45:40

trying to come thing storing. The

45:42

by blocked him it would have made it worse

45:44

and made him com to Nottingham. So.

45:46

It's a other users of the form testified

45:48

against the as it. Did. Chilling

45:51

to the jury his disturbing obsession

45:53

and comments about wanting to various

45:55

matthew. He.

45:57

Is it himself Testified on his own. behalf,

46:01

telling the jury the same thing that he

46:03

had told detectives. He

46:06

said that he had brought the knife along with him that

46:09

day because he wanted to be prepared. He

46:12

testified. He might attack

46:14

me and get the upper hand. He

46:17

said that it was his intention to beat Matty up

46:19

so badly that he needed to go to hospital. When

46:23

he was shown a photograph of Matty's

46:25

computer with the letters D-A-V smeared in

46:27

blood, he seemed surprised.

46:31

He denied that he had written it and

46:33

said that Matty couldn't have written it either

46:35

because he was dead when he left. Ultimately,

46:39

the jury sided with the prosecution

46:41

and found David Hice guilty of

46:43

the murder of Matty Pike. The

46:47

sentencing phase followed and

46:49

the judge sentenced him to life in prison with a

46:51

minimum of 18 years. In

46:55

handing down the sentence, the judge told David,

46:58

the fact that your motive for murder was so

47:00

bizarre doesn't make your killing

47:02

of Matty any less serious. He

47:06

said it was evident that David was unable to

47:08

cope with rejection, telling him, I

47:11

have no doubt that at some stage you

47:14

decided that Matty had to die and

47:16

that your killing of him involved a

47:18

substantial degree of both planning and

47:21

premeditation, which is

47:23

a significant aggravating factor. Following

47:38

David's sentencing to life in

47:40

prison, the disturbing revelation surfaced

47:42

regarding his persistent fixation on

47:44

Joanna. Despite

47:46

his incarceration, he continued to harbor delusions

47:49

of a future with her, evidence

47:52

by a letter he penned from behind bars.

47:55

In the letter, he said he hoped

47:57

they could be reunited. Meanwhile,

48:00

Joanna Stead Fosley maintained the War

48:03

Central's forms in the years following

48:05

Matthew's tragic murder. She

48:08

dedicated herself to preserving his memory,

48:11

creating a heartfelt tribute page where

48:13

visitors could share their cherished recollections

48:15

of him. The

48:18

outpouring of affection within the form testified

48:20

to the enduring impact Matthew had on

48:23

the community, united by

48:25

their shared passion for the video game. Each

48:29

year, Joanna wished Matthew

48:31

happy anniversary and happy birthday.

48:34

Matthew's mother even joined the forum so that

48:36

she could post on his wall. However,

48:39

in a bittersweet turn of events

48:42

in 2018, Joanna announced the

48:44

closure of the forum, marking

48:46

the end of an era. With

48:49

a poignant message, she wrote, On

48:52

the 1st of March 2018, War Central

48:56

will close and become another corner

48:58

of the internet remembered only

49:00

by the membership and archiving

49:02

websites. I'd like to

49:04

thank you for all the good times and good friendships

49:06

that were formed over the 10

49:08

years War Central existed. There

49:11

were some fun times and they'll be fondly

49:13

remembered. Have a

49:15

great life, Jo. The

49:24

intricate web of the internet has not

49:27

only interconnected the world, but also

49:29

laid bare the depths of human

49:31

obsession. David Heiss

49:33

found himself obsessed with the woman he

49:35

met online, but despite

49:37

her relentless rejection, his fixation

49:40

only intensified. In

49:43

the end, David's obsession took over

49:45

his life, leading him to

49:47

Nottingham, where David's obsession

49:50

ended Matthew Pike's life. Well

50:16

besties that is it for this episode

50:18

of Morbidology. As always thank you

50:21

so much for listening and I'd like to

50:23

say a massive thank you to my newest

50:25

supporter up on Patreon, Pat. You

50:27

can join us up on Patreon for as little as $1

50:30

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50:33

You can cancel your subscription at any time. The

50:36

link to Patreon is in the show notes,

50:38

or alternatively, you can download the app and

50:40

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50:42

your internet browser. As

50:45

mentioned last week, Morbidology is now up

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on YouTube. The episodes

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are presented in a documentary style,

50:51

along with photographs and videos relevant

50:53

to each case, along with some

50:55

videos. So please

50:57

head on over to YouTube, type

50:59

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51:01

channel. It'll really help out. Remember

51:04

to check us out at morbidology.com for more

51:07

information about this episode and to read

51:09

some true crime articles. Until

51:11

next time, take care of yourselves, stay safe

51:13

and have an amazing week.