Crime

London Officer Admits Killing Sarah Everard, Whose Murder Prompted Outcry Over Women's Safety

Wayne Couzens has refused to discuss Sarah Everard's murder and rape with authorities

Published on July 9, 2021 12:53 PM

A London police constable pleaded guilty Friday to murdering Sarah Everard, the 33-year-old marketing executive who went missing while walking home in March, prompting a national reckoning about sexual assault and women's safety.

Wayne Couzens, 48, had pleaded guilty in June to kidnapping and raping Everard. According to a Friday press release from the Crown Prosecution Service, he has refused to discuss the crime with authorities and will be sentenced at a later date.

"Couzens lied to the police when he was arrested and to date, he has refused to comment. We still do not know what drove him to commit this appalling crime against a stranger," Specialist Prosecutor Carolyn Oakley said in the CPS release.

"Today is not the day for hearing the facts about what happened to Sarah. Today is a day to remember Sarah and our thoughts remain with her family and friends," Oakley added.

Everard disappeared back on March 3 while walking home from a friend's house at night in London.

On March 12, police confirmed that her remains had been found in the woods in Kent, more than 50 miles away.

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During a vigil for Everard held on March 13, police, citing COVID-19 restrictions, used force to disperse those in attendance. Police were heavily criticized after media members captured footage of officers roughly grabbing women during the event, which had evolved into a demonstration calling for a stop to violence against women.

Among those participating in the outcry over Everard's death was Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, 39, who stopped in March and left flowers by a memorial in Clapham Common, an area near Everard's home in the Brixton neighborhood, where she was seen walking before her disappearance.

Middleton "remembers what it felt like to walk around London at night," a royal source told PEOPLE at the time.

While police were searching for Everard, her family issued a statement through police that said: "Sarah was bright and beautiful - a wonderful daughter and sister. She was kind and thoughtful, caring and dependable. She always put others first and had the most amazing sense of humour."

"She was strong and principled and a shining example to us all," it continued. "We are very proud of her and she brought so much joy to our lives."

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.