20 November 2023 , 16:02
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A woman and her boyfriend have been jailed for life for the murder of her stepdad whose body has never been found in what was described a “wicked” act of deceit.
Juned Sheikh screamed "rot in hell" at the jury and accused them of being racist as he was found him guilty earlier this month, alongside his 32-year-old girlfriend Surie Suksiri of murdering Mr McKeever, 62, and preventing his lawful burial. Today, Sheik, 48, was told he will serve a minimum of 24 years behind bars and Suksiri was jailed for a minimum of 18 years.
Judge Anthony Bate said: “Frank McKeever went willingly to visit the defendants. He expected them to welcome him as before and be treated with the respect that any guest deserves. Events took a sinister turn in that confined residential setting.” After killing Mr McKeever the defendants lied about what happened and hid his body in a “wicked and sustained deceit” The judge said it was a “serious affront to public standards of decency” and means the family cannot lay him to rest.
During their Old Bailey trial the court had heard how Suksiri described how she and Sheikh had "battered the f**k" out of her stepdad Frank McKeever before buying a car and disposing of his body '80 miles' outside of London. She claimed Mr McKeever had abused her when she was a child, despite detectives finding no evidence this was true.
Murderer Juned Sheikh (PA)The jury found that she and boyfriend Sheik had murdered Mr McKeever, who has not been since since he visited stepdaughter Suksiri at her home in Highbury, North London, on the evening of August 28, 2021.
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The court heard that Suksiri had sent a 47-second WhatsApp video to Sheikh's sister around an hour after Mr McKeever arrived at her home on the night of his murder. Suksiri can be heard saying "Start" off camera before Mr McKeever spoke to camera in a "flat tone" and admitted that he had assaulted her when she was six years old.
The video concluded with Mr McKeever saying: "I deserve to be punished for it." Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC had told jurors: "After he made that video confession, these two defendants killed him, and a few days later they removed his dead body from the flat and disposed of it. His body has never been found."
Mr McKeever's disappearance was only noticed because he was due to complete a house-swap with a couple who reported him missing after contact stopped. Suksiri claimed at the time that she had not spoken to her stepfather for more than 20 years. Giving evidence to her murder trial, Suksiri denied harming her stepfather and blamed her partner for injuring him with repeated elbow blows. She told jurors the victim had complained: "I think he has broken my ribs, I need an ambulance."
Later, after she realised he had died, she admitted disposing of Mr McKeever's body but could only remember it was beside a motorway because Sheikh had driven them to the spot. She told jurors they had dragged the body out of the car and Sheikh had covered it with branches.
Sheikh declined to answer questions after his arrest and opted not to give evidence in the trial. It was suggested that his case was that Mr McKeever had left the house alive and he did not kill him and dispose of the body. The court, however heard recordings of conversations Suksiri had with an undercover police officer last year after she was released under police investigation. It was claimed by the prosecution they detailed a clear confession to the murder with Sheikh.
Frank McKeever's body has never been found (PA)Detectives believe Mr McKeever had suffered a prolonged and cruel attack that had happened when he visited Suksiri and Sheikh at their flat on August 28, 2021. Through analysing phone data, they found in the days after Mr McKeever was last seen the couple had searched online for a cheap car to buy.
Further enquiries revealed Suksiri had taken £200 worth of Mr McKeever's jewellery to a pawnbrokers on September 2, 2021. It is believed they used this money to buy the car. The pair were re-arrested on October 20, 2022 and they were charged with murder.
Detectives have not been able to recover any evidence that provided an indication of where the pair had taken Mr McKeever after his death. Detective Inspector Laura Nelson, who led the investigation, said at the time of the verdicts: "Working with colleagues from across the Met we were able to build a compelling case against Surie Suksuri and Juned Sheikh. Whilst today’s verdict has delivered justice for Frank McKeever, the result is bittersweet for his family. They have not been able to bury their much-missed brother and the main question of where he is remains unanswered.
"My team will continue to act on any information which may lead to the location of Frank and the charity Crimestoppers continues to offer a reward for information leading to his whereabouts." Anyone with information that could assist officers in finding Frank's body are asked to contact the investigation team by calling 020 8358 0300.
Earlier, the victim’s older brother, Dominic McKeever, said the trial was “lengthy and harrowing” and the family has been denied the chance to give “happy-go-lucky” Mr McKeever the “loving farewell” he deserves.
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Reading his statement in court, he said: “In the summer of 2021, Frank embarked on a new, positive chapter in his life. He was busy making plans to move house, enjoying exploring London with his new freedom pass and had reconnected with us, his siblings, much to our happiness. Frank had a lot to live for. This bright future has been cruelly and casually taken away from him and from us.”
The family was “heartened” at confirmation from police that there is no evidence the allegations of abuse against Mr McKeever are true.. But it only added to the pain and “indignity” of his death, with his brother adding: “At times it felt as if Frank was on trial.”