‘Paranoid’ and ‘psychotic’ husband who strangled his property developer ex-wife to death ‘halfway through dinner’ after becoming ‘increasingly controlling’ of how she dressed is jailed for nine years
- Adrian Rodi, 50, had a history of ‘controlling behaviour’ towards Angela Rider
- Twice strangled her to point of unconsciousness but released without charge
- They separated after he pushed her face into a pillow on Thailand honeymoon
- He strangled her after after dinner then called police to confess his crime
Adrian Rodi, 50, murdered his ex wife Angela Rider
A ‘paranoid’ and ‘psychotic’ husband who strangled his wife to death has been jailed for more than nine years.
Adrian Rodi, 50, killed his estranged wife Angela Rider after becoming ‘increasingly controlling’ of the way the beautician and property developer dressed and acted.
Rodi ‘manipulated’ Ms Rider’s ‘caring nature’ while violently asphyxiating her on three separate occasions, a court heard.
He even bought a house on the same street as her after they separated.
The pair broke up after Rodi strangled Ms Rider, his girlfriend at the time, to the point of losing consciousness during a holiday in Greece.
But the pair soon got back together and married in secret, telling neither family nor friends.
Afterwards, they went on a honeymoon to Thailand where Rodi shoved the mother-of-one’s face into a pillow and accused her of ‘acting provocatively towards men’.
In 2014, he again strangled her following an argument, leading to him being given a hospital order at York Crown Court in December 2014.
He was discharged from a mental health unit in March 2015 and despite being advised to continue to take his prescribed psychotropic medication the court heard Rodi, who suffers from depression and multiple-sclerosis, voluntarily stopped doing so in December 2015.
Following an argument over dinner on March 4, Rodi strangled Ms Rider to death at her home in Cawood, North Yorkshire.
Rodi killed his estranged wife Angela Rider after becoming ‘increasingly controlling’ of the way the freelance beautician and property developer dressed and acted
Rodi made a ‘serious’ suicide attempt after Angela, 51, separated from him following the incident in Thailand.
However, the court was told how he would ‘use emotional tools to get [Angela] to resume the relationship’ with him.
Judge Tom Bayliss QC told how in the months prior to her murder Rodi became increasingly abusive.
After buying a house on the same street as her in Selby, North Yorkshire, he began spending more time with Ms Rider again.
Ms Rider’s daughter Sara spent time with her and Rodi in the Lake District the week before Angela’s death and described him as ‘smothering’ her.
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Rodi and Ms Rider were ‘halfway through a dinner’ when he strangled her on March 4, the court heard.
She was found at her home after Rodi ‘picked her up and laid her on the sofa’ then called the police to them he had ‘strangled his ex-partner’.
Police caught up with Rodi just after 1.30am on March 5 in a carpark in the Lake District in his vehicle.
Told he was under arrest under suspicion of murder, he told officers: ‘There’s no suspicion of murder.’
He added: ‘I’ve just f****** killed someone and we’re standing here.’
Ms Riders’s sister Tracy Mills sobbed as she told how Rodi had ‘stolen her future’
Police at the scene of the murder after Rodi rang police and confessed he had murdered his ex wife
HEARTBROKEN SISTER TELLS COURT HOW KILLER HAS ‘STOLEN HER FUTURE’
In a statement read to the court, Ms Riders’s sister Tracy Mills sobbed as she told how Rodi had ‘stolen her future’.
She said: ‘Angela and I had dreams of living together when we were old – we were going to grow old together.
‘She told me (Rodi) was a slob – I never understood why she stayed with him.
‘Angela was always a strong character but I remember a change in her character and coming back from Greece with (Rodi).
‘She lacked confidence and even her dress sense had changed – her character was always more controlled around Rodi.
‘I feel like half of me is gone – my best friend has been taken from me.
‘I will never get over the loss of my baby sister – she must have suffered before her death and I will never get that out of my mind.’
Ms Rider’s body was found with lacerations and bruises caused by blunt force trauma.
Rodi pleaded guilty to manslaughter in September this year.
As he sentenced him to a hospital life with a minimum term of nine years and 114 days today Judge Tom Bayliss QC told Rodi: ‘The victim of this terrible crime is Angela Ryder.
‘She is you ex-wife and someone who I do not doubt you loved.
‘Her family will miss her greatly – their loss is unimaginable.
‘She was a generous and strong independent woman who could stick up for herself – she was an amazing daughter.
‘The picture is one of a controlling and coercive relationship with occasional acts of violence.
‘After what you did in Greece your relationship broke down – what is surprising is that you two got back together.
‘I am quite sure you intended to kill her.
‘It was not premeditated and I have no doubt you regretted it afterwards.’
Judge Bayliss QC sentenced Rodi to nine years and 114 days. Pictured, police at the scene of the murder
Judge Bayliss QC said Rodi’s illness had played a ‘significant contributory role’ in Angela’s death.
He said it was Rodi’s fault he had stopped taking his medication and the consequences had been ‘catastrophic’.
Judge Bayliss QC sentenced Rodi to nine years and 114 days.
He was made the subject of a hospital order at Newton Lodge medium secure unit in West Yorkshire and will serve the remainder of his time in prison after his release.
As Rodi was led away from the dock he showed no emotion.
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