Donovan Miller choked 76-year-old Phyllis Grant and beat her over the head with a flower vase at her home in Kent Street, Plaistow, East London.
The 31-year-old killer then had sex with her body twice, before admitting his horrifying acts to paramedics, telling them ‘I raped her’. Ms. Grant was a regular churchgoer whose neighbors described as a ‘matriarch of the community’ and a ‘lovely’ woman. She had been released from hospital after recovering from Covid prior to her killing in March last year. He told paramedic the night of his arrest: ‘I raped her as well for what it’s worth, yesterday and today.’ Miller later confirmed he had sex with his grandmother’s corpse after she had died. He also told police he was dependent on cocaine but that he had no mental health issues. Miller, also of Kent Street, Plaistow, appeared in court via video link from the John Howard Centre secure psychiatric unit. He denied murder but admitted manslaughter and sexual penetration of a corpse. His due to be sentenced next month – Monday, March 28.
