Man guilty of cousin's axe murder

A man has been convicted of murdering his cousin with an axe in what police called an "extremely distressing case".

Donald Excell killed 58-year-old Rita Lambourne at her home in Bexhill, East Sussex, on 12 February.

Excell, 49, from Seabourne Road, Bexhill, had denied murder and possession of a bladed article, but was convicted unanimously at Hove Crown Court after the jury had been deliberating for just four hours.

He is due to be sentenced on 12 March 2026, with the judge ordering a psychiatric report.

Ms Lambourne's daughter Kerry told the court her mother and Excell regularly fell out and he would often try to start arguments.

In her evidence she said Excell made her mother feel "petrified" of him when he "flipped" during a car journey.

She told the jury the defendant's "tone changed" on an occasion when her mother had given him a lift home.

He accused her of "all sorts of horrible things that aren't true", and then kicked the side of the car, she said.

Police secured a large amount of CCTV footage from the area as part of the case against Excell,

One detective described it as the biggest amount he had ever seen during an investigation.

Excell answered "no comment" to most questions during police interviews, a Sussex Police spokesperson said.

He also did not give evidence in his defence or provide an alibi when he was questioned during his trial.

The members of the jury were shown CCTV footage of Excell walking towards Ms Lambourne's home carrying an axe.

The prosecution said she had been struck four times with the axe, with one blow landing with such force it went "straight into her heart".

Officers had been initially unable to locate the weapon, clothing or bag used during the murder.

However, some teenage boys later discovered a rucksack, which contained clothing and a sheath for an axe, when fishing at a lake north of Bexhill.

Two weeks later police divers discovered an axe during a search of the lake.

"This has been an extremely distressing case for everyone involved, particularly Rita's family and friends, as well as the wider community," said Det Ch Insp Alex Campbell.

"We hope that this outcome provides some measure of closure for those who loved Rita."

Lucie Lambourne, Rita Lambourne's daughter, has told BBC South East that Excell had a history of drug abuse and had boasted of being violent towards others.

She described him as "domineering" and said she felt there was something "quite sinister" about him.

Following the murder, Lucie Lambourne said she faced having the family home taken back by their housing association.

Southern Housing eventually decided to let her take on the tenancy.

Ms Lambourne's family described her as a "cherished presence whose kindness, laughter, and love continue to bind us together.

"Throughout this painful journey, our family found strength in one another, choosing solidarity over despair and dignity over anger," their tribute said.

"Rita Marie Lambourne - mother, daughter, sister, nan, aunty, cousin, partner and friend. Your soul will always hold a place in our hearts."

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