Bio

Daniel Sonnex was born on November 5, 1971. He grew up in a family with a history of crime. His father, Bernard Sonnex, had numerous convictions including gun and drug-related offenses. Daniel was exposed to violence from a young age. His family lived in New Cross, London, where he was surrounded by criminal activities.

As a teenager, Sonnex faced numerous challenges. He got into trouble with the law early on. At the age of 17, in 2003, he was sentenced to eight years in prison for a series of violent offenses. These included an incident where he stabbed a rival during a dispute. After his release, he was supposed to be supervised by probation services, but he struggled to stay on the right path.

Sonnex had a troubled life. He was known to have a bad temper, and there were warnings about his potential for violence while he was in prison. Authorities recognized this but failed to take the necessary actions to prevent him from reoffending.

He continued to have issues related to drugs and violence. Sonnex was involved in several criminal activities after his release, including armed robberies. His past experiences and family history of crime greatly influenced his behavior as he grew older.

Murder Story

On June 29, 2008, two French biochemistry students, Laurent Bonomo and Gabriel Ferez, were attacked in their apartment in New Cross, London. The two men were tied up, gagged, and tortured for hours. The attackers repeatedly stabbed them, inflicting 244 total wounds; Bonomo endured 196 stab wounds, while Ferez suffered 47. After the violent assault, a liquid accelerant was poured over their bodies, and the apartment was set on fire.

The police investigation began when firefighters discovered the victims' bodies in the burnt apartment. Both students had been living in London for a research exchange program. Their bank cards and belongings were missing, suggesting they had been robbed during the attack.

As detectives worked to find evidence, the police initially arrested a different suspect but released him shortly after. Meanwhile, the investigation continued to focus on Daniel Sonnex and his accomplice, Nigel Farmer. Sonnex was identified as a potential suspect based on an alert issued by Scotland Yard.

On July 11, 2008, Daniel Sonnex was arrested by armed police in Peckham, London. He was charged with murder and perverting the course of justice. A few days later, Farmer also surrendered to authorities.

The trial for both men began in April 2009. Evidence presented in court described the extreme violence of the attack and the motive behind it. Prosecutors pointed out the brutality of the assaults, referring to the killings as a sadistic act committed by two men who were affected by drug addiction.

On June 4, 2009, both Sonnex and Farmer were found guilty of murder. Sonnex received a minimum sentence of 40 years in prison, while Farmer was sentenced to at least 35 years. The court noted that Sonnex should have been incarcerated at the time of the killings due to previous convictions and failures within the criminal justice system that allowed him to remain free. Following the trial, the victims’ families stated they intended to take legal action against authorities for the failures that led to their sons’ deaths.