- Cameron Davis, 31, was found guilty of murdering 74-year-old Lorna England
A killer who stabbed a pensioner to death as she walked home from Lidl screamed 'I warned you' as he was pinned down and arrested on the street - hours after telling medics he would murder a stranger if he was not sectioned.
Cameron Davis, 31, is facing life behind bars after being found guilty of murdering 74-year-old Lorna England as she walked home through Ludwell Valley Park in the Wonford area of Exeter, Devon, on February 18 last year.
The 31-year-old had pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter by diminished responsibility but was found guilty of murder at Exeter Crown Court on Tuesday.
Davis was told by the judge, Mrs Justice Stacey: 'You are going to be sentenced for the offence of murder, for which you know that there must be a life sentence, and my task will be to decide what the minimum sentence will be.'
The killer stabbed Lorna at least twice in a park as she walked home from a routine shopping trip to Lidl for some flour.
Chilling bodycam footage recorded as he was arrested shows Davis lying on the floor, wailing to officers: 'She didn't die - please tell me she didn't die? I warned you, I didn't know she died - f**k I can't live with that.'
This is the moment that Cameron Davis wails 'I warned you' as he was arrested by police for stabbing a pensioner to death
Cameron Davis (left), 31, is facing life behind bars after being found guilty of murdering 74-year-old Lorna England (right)
Just hours earlier, Davis had been assessed by mental health workers and told them he would 'kill a random' person if they released him, his murder trial heard.
CCTV footage released by police shows him walking out of A&E before buying two bottles of vodka and a kitchen knife from Lidl.
Footage also captures Lorna leaving the same supermarket after her shopping trip, not knowing what fate lay in store.
Davis is seen later loitering in Ludwell Valley Park and Lorna is later captured on CCTV walking through the same park.
Tragically, their paths cross and Davis carries out the fatal attack in which Lorna was stabbed in the neck and through the heart.
Despite the best efforts of horrified witnesses, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
A heartbreaking 999 call was released by police in which a caller tells the operator she saw Lorna and Davis on the path about 100m away from her before witnessing the attack.
The woman - who comforted Lorna on the call - is heard saying: 'I thought they knew each other, but there was a tussle and I saw her fall to the ground, I then walked towards them because I was worried about her.
Davis was taken to hospital and seen about 11am by mental health services and again spoke about how he was going to kill someone. CCTV footage released by police shows Davis walking out of A&E
He then goes to a supermarket and buys two bottles of vodka and a kitchen knife
CCTV footage capturing Davis walking around the supermarket
Footage also captures Lorna leaving the same supermarket after her shopping trip, not knowing what fate lay in store
Footage shows Cameron Davis walking along the pavement after stabbing Lorna to death
A five-hour manhunt was launched, during which time CCTV footage shows him smoking a cigarette in the street
Police then dramatically swoop in and pin Davis to the ground as they arrest him on suspicion of murder
He screams out while on the floor, telling police officers 'I warned you'
'I spoke to him and I said 'what have you done?' and he said 'she needs help, she's had a fit or something'.
'I didn't see a knife, but she has been cut, she's got cuts on her hand and she's been cut on the chest as well.'
A five-hour manhunt was launched, during which time CCTV footage shows Davis drinking in a pub.
He is later captured smoking a cigarette in the street when armed police swoop on him to make the arrest.
The court heard he told officers: 'I f*****g warned you c**** - that is why I f*****g done it - I didn't want to but none of you f*****g c**** listened.
'Why didn't they listen to me at the hospital - the people in the hospital should pay for this.
'The last thing I wanted to do - I cried out for help.'
The judge thanked the jury for their efforts during the trial, adding: 'The tragedy for the England family and their grief is unimaginable.'
Prosecutor Jo Martin KC said Lorna was a fit 74-year-old who had gone for a walk across the park to Lidl to get some flour while her husband David stayed at home.
Prosecutor Jo Martin KC said Lorna was a fit 74-year-old who had gone for a walk across the park to Lidl to get some flour while her husband David stayed at home
Drone footage of the crime scene in Ludwell Valley Park, where Cameron Davis stabbed Lorna England, 74, to death
Cameron Davis has been found guilty of murder at Exeter Crown Court after stabbing the 74-year-old to death in a park
He said: 'It was a perfectly normal day. What followed was something that no one could contemplate could happen on that crisp February afternoon here in Exeter.
'No one except one man - the defendant Cameron Davis.
'Because at about 3.55pm in a wooded area of Ludwell Valley Park, Cameron fatally attacked Lorna England with a knife - she died at the scene.
'He stabbed her at least twice, one slices across her neck, which wasn't fatal in itself, but the other a stab wound into her chest and heart to a depth of about 12cm was fatal.
'She also had very bad cuts to her hand where she had attempted to defend herself.'
Ms Martin told the jury the issue in the case for the jury to decide was whether he was so mentally unwell at the time that his rational thinking or ability to control his actions were substantially impaired because of a mental illness.
She said the prosecution and defence psychiatrists disagreed on this.
The judge said the prosecution case was that he instead had a 'personality disorder' that 'when combined with drug and alcohol abuse leads to a manipulative and angry man.'
She argued he carried out his actions 'as a result of being angry and upset' rather than affected by a mental illness to a level that his responsibility was diminished.
An air ambulance was deployed but Lorna was declared dead at 4.44pm
The court heard at the time, Davis was living in temporary accommodation and had been homeless on and off for a couple of years. He was known to mental health services and spent time in prison.
He was supported by the housing support team and in January 2023 began to talk about 'either killing himself or someone else.'
On January 28 - two psychiatrists assessed him and determined he did not need to be sectioned. He became immediately angry with the doctors, Ms Martin told the jury.
His housing team gave him seven days notice to leave.
At 4.41am on the morning of Lorna's death, Davis called police and said unless he was arrested he was going to get petrol and set fire to his accommodation to commit suicide.
He said he had taken an overdose of valium and the ambulance service was sent out just gone 5.30am.
Ms Martin added: 'He told the ambulance crew he wanted help with mental health and said if he was discharged he would kill a random person.'
Davis was taken to Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital and seen about 11am that morning by mental health services and again spoke about how he was going to kill someone.
'He said although he knew his thoughts were wrong he quite enjoyed them,' Ms Martin added.
'He was told if he did do anything it would be a pre-meditated crime - his response - the police could never pin anything on him.
'The decision was taken that he did not need to be admitted to hospital. When told he got up, put his jacket on and walked out of the hospital.'
The jury heard he then went to a store to buy several items including a bottle of vodka and later went to Lidl where he bought another bottle and a large kitchen knife.
He is later seen on CCTV walking across Ludwell Park ending up at the back of Wonford Sports Centre.
At one point, a member of staff came out and spoke to him and he told her he intended to hang himself.
He went into the Wonford Sports Centre at one point and asked if he could make a phone call and called his mother for about ten minutes.
After the stabbing, a dog walker coming from the other direction said she saw the altercation and 'heard a woman cry out and fall to the ground.'
She dialled 999 at 3.58pm and shouted for help to others around the park.
Ms Martin added: 'In the immediate aftermath - there was confusion, other members of the public arrived on scene and did all they could to help Lorna.
The air ambulance arrived but Lorna was declared dead at 4.44pm
A manhunt for Davis was then launched and he was eventually arrested at 9.30pm sitting outside a bank in Exeter city centre.
Police dramatically swooped in on him and pinned him to the ground as they arrested him on suspicion of murder.
Davis was found guilty of murder on Tuesday and will be sentenced on Thursday.
