Woman found guilty of murder year after friend found decapitated

A British woman has been convicted of murder after a judge found her guilty of decapitating her former friend and disposing of her body last year, authorities said Thursday. Jemma Mitchell, 38, is currently in custody and due to be sentenced Friday, the Metropolitan Police Service said in a news release announcing its conclusion on Thursday.

The conviction alleges that Mitchell, a resident of northwest London, killed Mee Kuen Chong, who was also known as Deborah Chong, at the Chong's home in nearby Wembley in June of 2021. Chong, 67, became friendly with Mitchell after the two met through a church group, and Mitchell "also acted as a spiritual healer for Deborah" during this time, police said.

Prior to Chong's death, authorities say she was struggling with her mental health. Mitchell was renovating her home at the time, and asked Chong for money to help finance the project, police said. Although Chong supposedly agreed at first to lend Mitchell roughly £200,000, she ultimately withdrew the offer and, according to police, this decision "led to the pair falling out" just days before the murder.