ITV Documentary Exposes Harrowing Details of Flatmate Murder Case
A powerful new true-crime documentary airing on ITV tonight reveals the disturbing circumstances surrounding the murder of Stephanie Hansen, a 39-year-old woman killed by her housemate in a brutal attack fueled by jealousy and obsession. The hour-long programme, titled WhatsApp Obsession: The Murder of Stephanie Hansen, airs at 9pm on Tuesday, March 24, and meticulously reconstructs the events leading to this tragic crime.
The Fatal Attack and Secret Surveillance
Sheldon Rodrigues, 30, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years for murdering Stephanie Hansen in her West London home on December 30, 2022. The Old Bailey heard how Rodrigues had installed concealed surveillance equipment inside a television to secretly monitor his housemate, spending approximately 158 hours listening to captured audio recordings before the violent assault.
The attack occurred around 6:50am after Stephanie returned from working a night shift at a cargo company near Heathrow Airport. Rodrigues discovered that Stephanie's boyfriend had stayed overnight, triggering what prosecutors described as an explosion of rage. While Stephanie was still wearing her pyjamas in her bedroom, Rodrigues brutally stabbed her multiple times in the neck and repeatedly battered her head and face with blunt objects.
Graphic Evidence and Emotional Testimony
Prosecutor Gareth Patterson presented evidence showing Stephanie suffered approximately 60 separate injuries during the assault, including knife wounds to her neck and trauma inflicted by household items including a hairdryer and a large fan. The documentary features the harrowing 999 emergency call placed after the murder, in which a voice tells the operator: "I've just found my housemate dead." When emergency services arrived at the scene, another voice described it as "a horrific scene."
Stephanie's mother, Glenda Hansen, delivered an emotional victim impact statement during the trial, describing how she was "heartbroken" by her daughter's murder. "Stephanie is gone and I'm broken-hearted. The feeling of loss is unimaginable," Glenda told the court. She remembered her daughter as "a funny cheerful girl" who "loved people and had time for everyone."
Betrayal of Trust and Stolen Future
Glenda Hansen expressed particular anguish over the betrayal of trust, noting that Rodrigues had been welcomed as a friend who "ate with us, chatted with us." She believed her daughter would be safe living with Rodrigues as a housemate, stating: "You took my trust and faith and abused it in the most horrible manner." The grieving mother highlighted how Stephanie "had her whole life ahead of her" and "looked forward to the day she would be married and have children," a future now permanently stolen by the violent attack.
The ITV documentary provides comprehensive coverage of this disturbing case, examining how obsessive behavior escalated into fatal violence between housemates. The programme includes interviews, court testimony, and analysis of the evidence that led to Rodrigues's conviction at the Old Bailey on March 8, 2024. This detailed exploration serves as both a memorial to Stephanie Hansen and a cautionary examination of how domestic surveillance and jealousy can culminate in tragedy.
