Man killed two ex-girlfriends AFTER they told police he was violent

by · Mail Online

Friends of two women murdered by a man they repeatedly complained about to police have demanded 'heads should roll' at The Metropolitan Police.

'Evil' handyman Carl Cooper is serving a life sentence for murdering ex-partners Naomi Hunte, 41, and Fiona Holm, 48, in two separate cases one year apart.

The 66-year-old has refused to tell detectives where Fiona's body is hidden.

Both women had been in a relationship with Cooper and had complained to police about his violence before their deaths.

Naomi was stabbed to death and found on her sofa in 2022 and Fiona vanished in June 2023 but her body has never been found.

Naomi Hunte (pictured) was stabbed to death by Carl Cooper and found on her sofa in 2022
Fiona Holm (pictured) went missing from Hither Green, south east London and is believed to have died on June 20, 2023, two months after she reported Cooper attacking her to the Met Police
Pictured: The last known sighting of Fiona Holm in an off licence in Catford, south London, on June 20 2023

In February 2022, Naomi was found stabbed to death at her flat in Greenwich, south east London. 

She had made a number of calls to police over the previous two years, telling officers that Cooper was stalking and harassing her.

She told cops Cooper had been 'obsessed' with her.

Cooper was arrested on suspicion of murder but was released on bail, under investigation.

He went on to murder Fiona, who went missing from Hither Green 16 months later. She is believed to have died on June 20, 2023, two months after she reported the GBH complaint to the Met.

The Met said four officers are under investigation for misconduct in connection with a GBH complaint made by Fiona in April 2023. 

The case has sparked fury among the two families and the south east London communities they lived in.

A friend of Fiona told MailOnline: 'It's an absolutely harrowing situation.

'Fiona and Naomi were let down time and time again. It's awful.

Carl Cooper was jailed for life in July for the murders of Naomi Hunte, 41, and Fiona Holm, 48. Both were previously in a relationship with him and had warned police about his violence
Ms Hunte, who had not been seen alive for several days, was discovered partially clothed with a single stab wound to the chest in February 2022

'It's left us all feeling sick to the pits of our stomachs. How was this allowed to happen?

'How many warnings did The Met need?

'I have no confidence in them as a police force. All you hear and read is negative stories and bad experiences.

'Heads should roll. The officers who let them down should be sacked.'

The woman - holding back tears - said she would remember Fiona 'forever'.

She added: 'She was an angel. She was a beautiful light in the world. I cannot imagine a more cruel way to be taken. It is devastating.'

A neighbour of Naomi said: 'I miss her a lot. It's terrible. 

'How can that be allowed to happen?'

Retired Met police detective Peter Bleksley said it was a 'harrowing case' with 'appalling police failures'.

Ms Holm's daughter Savannah posted a picture of her mother on Facebook on July 3 2023, urging anyone who has seen or heard anything to let her know

He added: 'How many times are we going to hear the words lessons learned?

'How many more cases like this will there be? It is monstrous what happened.'

Speaking outside the court after the hearing, the Met's Det Ch Insp Kate Blackburn, said: 'Despite Cooper cruelly denying Fiona's family the opportunity to bury her, we will remain committed to finding Fiona and returning her to her family.'

She added a £20,000 police reward was on offer for information leading to the recovery of Ms Holm's remains and appealed to anyone with information to come forward.

'Carl Cooper is a dangerous, violent domestic abuser who preys on women with vulnerabilities.

'He took the lives of two vibrant, sociable women who were so very loved by their families and friends.

'Naomi and Fiona are in my thoughts today.'

A Met spokesperson told Mail Online: 'Four officers are under investigation for misconduct in relation to Fiona Holm's April 2023 GBH complaint. 

'This was referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct and they advised it should be a local investigation. Our findings will be reviewed by the IOPC.'