Dartford man jailed for life for murdering girlfriend in Peru

A man has been jailed for life for the murder of his girlfriend in Peru.

Jorge Garay, 46, of Hythe Street, Dartford, Kent, killed 37-year-old Karla Godoy between 21 September and 2 October 2022.

He will serve a minimum of 17 years, after being convicted at Maidstone Crown Court earlier this month.

Garay strangled Ms Godoy and buried her in a makeshift grave on land owned by his family in the Peruvian capital Lima, Kent Police said.

He had claimed to police he acted in self-defence because she attacked him with a knife.

Her body had to be identified using fingerprints when it was discovered by the Peruvian authorities.

The couple travelled to Peru via Spain, having left the UK on 15 September 2022, a police spokesman said.

Ms Godoy's family, who live in Honduras and Spain, last heard from her on 23 September 2022, when she confirmed her plans to travel to Spain the following day, however the mother-of-one never arrived, police said.

Garay returned to the UK on 4 October 2022 alone and told his landlord Ms Godoy had stayed in Spain. He also claimed his money and ID had been stolen while he was away.

On 12 October Garay was reported to have made a confession during a telephone conversation in which he said he killed Ms Godoy and made the claim they had argued and he had acted in self-defence.

Kent Police used powers under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, which allow officers to prosecute a person who lives in the UK but has committed a violent offence in another country.

It is thought to be the first use of these powers in the country.

Det Insp Lee Neiles, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: "Today's sentencing will not bring back Karla, but I hope it provides her family with some form of closure and justice.

"Karla trusted Garay but he committed the ultimate betrayal and took away her life, leaving her daughter without a mum and her family without their daughter, sister and aunt.

"Karla's family has been left mourning her needless loss and I can only hope that now the case has concluded that her family and friends can find some closure."

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