Murder trial told of horror after victim found lying dead in flat
The man who found murder victim Kevin Shepperson lying dead in the hall of his flat later told police: "I thought he was messing about."
Jamie Bryan, who has since died, said in a statement read to the Wolverhampton Crown Court jury: "I had not seen him for a few days and saw his flat windows were open and the curtains were blowing in the wind."
He knew that meant his friend was at home on the top floor of the three storey block in Bloxwich Road South, Willenhall, because Mr Shepperson took personal security very seriously, it was said.
The statement continued: "I took the stairs to the flat, tried the door handle and as soon as I opened it I could see his legs. I thought he was messing about and went to the bottom of his feet and said: "Shep, what are you doing?
"His head was turned away from me and as I turned it I saw something like water on the floor. His hands were tied. I tried to pull him up but he was stiff and I realised that he was dead. I was really stressed and shocked by what I saw.
"The television I had given him two years ago was gone and his PlayStation was missing too. I don't know why anybody would have taken the TV. It was probably worth £10. He had several locks on his doors although he did not have a lot of money."
Mr Bryan rushed to the nearby home of Sarah Beavan, the former partner of 39-year-old Mr Shepperson.
She said in a statement that was also read to the jury: "Jamie looked horrified and told me Shep was dead. I called 999 while we walked back to the flat. When Jamie opened the door it was just pure horror.
"Shep was lying slightly on his right side. His hand and feet were tied up with cotton straps. There was blood everywhere. The flat was ransacked. It looked like a bomb had gone off."
The victim had been beaten, kicked and stamped on as well as being battered with a dumbbell and hit with a boxing glove, said Mr Alan Kent QC, prosecuting.
Mr Shepperson suffered injuries to his brain and ribs during the onslaught on the morning of August 21 last year but was not found until around noon the following day, the court was told.
Mr Kent has alleged that 22-year-old Wayne Kendall, who lived in the flat below the victim, together with the defendant's cousin Nazeem Kendall aged 21 and friend Cameron MacKenzie were responsible for the murder.
Wayne Kendall admitted losing his temper when Mr Shepperson admitted being attracted to the teenage daughter of a woman they knew and attacked the victim but insisted he did not want to kill the man.
He allegedly tried to stop MacKenzie from continuing the beating.
Wayne and Nazeem Kendall both deny murder and robbery while MacKenzie has pleaded guilty to murder and will be sentenced at the end of the trial which continues.
