A South London caretaker has been convicted of murdering Maureen Gitau, 24, before it is believed he dumped her body in a wheelie bin.
Mark Moodie, 55, of Woolwich, was found guilty of murder at Woolwich Crown Court, on Thursday, November 16.
Police never located her body, despite searching for almost 20,000 hours, and say it was incinerated at a rubbish processing plant before ‘officers were able to stop the waste processing process.’
Moodie will be sentenced at a later date.
Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn described Moodie as a “contemptible individual” who “cruelly prevented” the family from laying Maureen’s body to rest.
Much-loved Maureen was last seen on Monday, December 5, leaving her home in Deptford.
A police investigation would later reveal that she met Moodie at Richmond House, a development in Blackheath Hill, that same evening.
The pair knew each other from when they worked as cleaners together and had stayed in touch.
Moodie also worked as a caretaker at Richmond House so had access to the storerooms there.
Police said Maureen met up with Moodie and they went into the storerooms before Moodie murdered her.
Moodie is then believed to have dumped her body in a large wheelie refuse bin which was taken to a refuse plant three days later.
Maureen was reported missing on Saturday, December 10, and officers were able to trace her movements via phone and CCTV.
Phone records showed Moodie had called Maureen before she died and CCTV captured the meeting.
Police spoke to Moodie over the phone on Wednesday, December 14, realised he was lying, and later arrested him.
CCTV also showed Moody moving a large wheelie bin around the basement area wearing surgical gloves.
A 20,000-hour search involving 325 Licensed search officers ensued, with police picking through 2,750 tonnes of rubbish, from January 9 to February 23.
Sadly, Maureen’s body was never found.
DCI Blackburn said: “My thoughts today are with Maureen’s family, who have been cruelly prevented from putting a much loved daughter, sister, niece and cousin to rest.
“I am glad we have been able to bring to justice the man responsible for her death.”
Moodie will be sentenced at a later date.