A man has been found guilty of murdering a debt collector who called at his home.
A jury found Geoffrey Hutton, 38, of Basildon, Essex, guilty of murder at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday, a court official said.
Hutton denied murdering 49-year-old Tina Cantello, who died as a result of 30 stab wounds to her left chest and neck between June 7 and 10.
Ms Cantello, who worked for Provident Financial Group, left home at 5pm on June 8 and had been due to return at 7.30pm, but never arrived and was reported missing to the police.
The court heard Ms Cantello had arranged with Hutton to collect payment for a loan from him, and after 5.30pm arrived at his home in Derby Close.
Opening the prosecution’s case, Simon Spence told the court Ms Cantello had done so many times before – with the pair sharing a "perfectly amicable relationship".
Her body was discovered in a bedroom at the property by police on June 9.
The court heard how Ms Cantello left for work at 5pm on June 8 and had been due home for dinner at 7.30pm, but never arrived and was later reported missing to the police.
Mr Spence said enquiries and the movement of her car led officers to the defendant’s address, adding: "Some 24 hours later, when the police went in, they found him covered in blood.
"They found Tina’s dead body upstairs and she was largely naked. She had been stabbed numerous times."
He said Ms Cantello was found in the bedroom and was naked apart from her bra – with her underwear "wrapped around her right ankle".
Police Constable Benjamin Freeman, who attended the incident, said Hutton was wearing bloodstained clothes, had a number of cuts on his arms and had nothing on his feet.
He said Hutton’s feet were "covered in dirt", there was blood on the bottom of them and grass in between his toes, and that his shorts smelt of urine.
Hutton, who is deaf and was assisted in the trial with a tablet showing a live transcript of proceedings, will be sentenced at the same court on Wednesday.
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