Stalker ‘killed model then himself after she reported him to cops when bag of weapons was found alongside chilling note’
A MODEL was stabbed to death by an “obsessed” ex-colleague who then killed himself after she reported him to police, an inquest heard.
Gracie Spinks, 23, was discovered in a field in the picturesque village of Duckmanton, Derbyshire, on June 18, 2021.
The keen horse rider had suffered ten stab wounds believed to have been inflicted by 25-year-old Michael Sellers.
He was found dead 150m away with a note saying he could not “deal with all of her lies”, the inquest jury was told.
Matthew Kewley, Assistant Coroner for Derby and Derbyshire, said this was one of “various pieces of evidence” that suggested Sellers killed Gracie then himself.
She had met Sellers when she got a job at a warehouse run by e-commerce firm xbite in April 2020.
He had been the subject of a number of complaints from female colleagues about his behaviour towards them.
Chesterfield Coroner’s Court was told the pair met up outside work on a few occasions but Gracie ended things in December 2020.
Mr Kewley said: “Michael Sellers could not accept Gracie Spinks’ decision and he did not respect her decision.
“Mr Sellers would continue to try and engage with Gracie and would persistently ask other staff for information about Gracie.
“It would appear that Mr Sellers had become obsessed with Gracie and could not accept her decision.”
In January 2021, Gracie reported Sellers to the company after seeing him parked in a lay-by where her horse Paddy was stabled.
He was suspended and later dismissed after claiming he believed she had “lied about the nature of the relationship between them”.
Fearing a similar incident, Gracie reported her concerns to Derbyshire Police a month later but was just given “words of advice”, it was said.
In May that year, a rucksack was discovered near Blue Lodge Farm containing knives, an axe, a hammer and a note that read: “Do not lie”.
The bag also contained a Marks & Spencer receipt, which was traced back to one of Sellers’ relatives after his death.
Jurors were told officers “were not concerned” about the discovery at the time and no further action was taken.
Just weeks later on June 18, 2021, Gracie left her home to see her horse in the field.
Horrified witnesses found the model lying on the ground with a man running away from her body.
At first they believed Gracie was attacked by a horse but emergency crews later found a knife near her body.
Sellers was found fatally injured just over two hours after Gracie was declared dead.
The inquest was told she died from a stab wound to the neck and had suffered “catastrophic” bleeding.
Following the deaths, the Independent Office for Police Conduct said five Derbyshire Police officers had cases to answer for misconduct.
Jurors have been asked to determine how, on the balance of probabilities, Gracie died and whether police could or should have done more to prevent the horror.
Reading a statement outside court today, Sajad Chaudhury, representing her family, said: “Gracie was snatched away from us by a coward, who was unwilling to face the consequences of unthinking actions.
“We cannot hold him to account. We have had no closure.
“The inquest will enable the nation to hear the distressing facts as to how and in what circumstances Gracie was killed, the events leading up to Gracie’s death, and her interaction with the police in reporting her stalker.”
The inquest continues.