Latest news with #YajairaCastroMendez
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Cleaner murdered ex-lover colleague and hid her body in wheelie bin before dumping it more than 90 miles away, court told
A cleaner allegedly murdered his former lover and colleague, before hiding her body in a wheelie bin and dumping it over 90 miles away, a court has heard. Yajaira Castro Mendez, 46, had apparently previously been in a relationship with her married co-worker Juan Francisco Toledo, 51, who is accused of her murder. She was reported missing to the Metropolitan Police on May 31, having left her home in Ilford, east London, on the morning of May 29, this year. Following a police search, her body was found in the Bolderwood area of Hampshire on Saturday. At a hearing on Tuesday, prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC alleged Toledo had killed the Colombian national on the evening of May 29 at an office where they were working in central London's legal district. She told the court: 'The defendant was Ms Mendez's work colleague. They were both cleaning staff at an office building on Grays Inn Road and they had been, in recent history, in a relationship and on the day of her death they were both at work.' Ms Mendez arrived for work at 5pm and was fatally injured inside the office block, it was alleged. Mr Carberry claimed that just after 8.30pm, her body was removed from the office in a wheelie bin. The defendant allegedly then placed the body in his car and drove to Hampshire where the body was dumped. Ms Mendez's former flatmate had raised the alarm after she failed to move into her new accommodation, the court was told. A post-mortem examination to determine the cause of her death was ongoing in Winchester. Venezuelan national Toledo, of Crystal Palace, south London, was arrested on June 4 and subsequently charged with murder. On Tuesday, the defendant appeared at the Old Bailey before Judge Mark Lucraft KC for a preliminary hearing. A plea hearing was set for September 1 with a provisional trial from April 20, 2026. The defendant, who was assisted by a Spanish interpreter, was remanded into custody. Ms Mendez's disappearance was initially treated as a missing person investigation led by local officers but the investigation was transferred to the Met's Specialist Crime Command on June 5, after a range of extensive further inquiries suggested she had come to harm.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- BBC News
Murder accused and victim worked together as cleaners, court told
A woman whose body was found in the New Forest after she went missing in east London worked with the man accused of killing her, a court has been Castro Mendez, 46, left her home in Ilford on 29 May and was reported missing two days later. Her body was found in the Bolderwood area of Hampshire on Old Bailey hearing was told Ms Mendez and 51-year-old Juan Francisco Toledo worked together as Toledo, of Crystal Palace, south London, is charged with murder. A plea hearing has been set for 1 September. At the preliminary hearing on Tuesday, prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC alleged that Mr Toledo had killed Ms Mendez - a Colombian national - on the evening of 29 May at an office where they were working in central London's legal told the court: "They were both cleaning staff at an office building on Grays Inn Road... and on the day of her death they were both at work."It was alleged that Ms Mendez arrived for work at 17:00 BST and was fatally injured inside the office Mendez's former flatmate raised the alarm after she failed to move into new accommodation, the court was told.A post-mortem examination to determine the cause of her death is ongoing in Toledo, a Venezuelan national, was assisted in court by a Spanish was remanded into custody.A provisional trial date has been set for 20 April, 2026. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
The Independent
10-06-2025
- The Independent
Missing woman killed by ex-lover at work and wheeled away in bin, court told
A missing woman who was found dead at a rural spot in Hampshire was allegedly killed by a work colleague and wheeled out of an office block in a wheelie bin, a court has heard. Cleaner Yajaira Castro Mendez, 46, had allegedly previously been in a relationship with married Juan Francisco Toledo, who is accused of her murder. She was reported missing to the Metropolitan Police on May 31, having left her home in Ilford, east London, on the morning of May 29. Following a police search, her body was found in the Bolderwood area of Hampshire on Saturday. At a hearing on Tuesday, prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC alleged that Toledo had killed the Colombian national on the evening of May 29 at an office where they were working in central London's legal district. She told the court: 'The defendant was Ms Mendez's work colleague. They were both cleaning staff at an office building on Grays Inn Road and they had been in recent history in a relationship and on the day of her death they were both at work.' Ms Mendez arrived for work at 5pm and was fatally injured inside the office block, it was alleged. Mr Carberry claimed that just after 8.30pm, her body was removed from the office in a wheelie bin. The defendant allegedly then placed the body in his car and drove to Hampshire where the body was dumped. Ms Mendez's former flatmate had raised the alarm after she failed to move into new accommodation, the court was told. A post-mortem examination to determine the cause of her death was ongoing in Winchester. Venezuelan national Toledo, 51, of Crystal Palace, south London, was arrested on June 4 and subsequently charged with murder. On Tuesday, the defendant appeared at the Old Bailey before Judge Mark Lucraft KC for a preliminary hearing. A plea hearing was set for September 1 with a provisional trial from April 20 2026. The defendant, who was assisted by a Spanish interpreter, was remanded into custody. Ms Mendez's disappearance was initially treated as a missing person investigation led by local officers but the investigation was transferred to the Met's Specialist Crime Command on June 5, after a range of extensive further inquiries suggested she had come to harm.
The Sun
10-06-2025
- The Sun
Missing woman ‘killed by ex-lover who dragged body from their office in wheelie bin before dumping her 96 miles away'
A MISSING woman was killed by her ex-lover who dragged her body from their office block in a wheelie bin, a court heard. Yajaira Castro Mendez, 46, was reported missing on May 31 after failing to return to her home in Ilford, East London. Her body was discovered 96 miles away in the Bolderwood area of Hampshire on Saturday. Yajaira's ex Juan Francisco Toledo, 51, appeared at the Old Bailey today charged with murder. The court heard Toledo allegedly killed Yajaira on the evening of May 29 at an office where they were working in central London. Prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC said: "The defendant was Ms Mendez's work colleague. "They were both cleaning staff at an office building on Grays Inn Road and they had been in recent history in a relationship and on the day of her death they were both at work." The court was told Toledo allegedly murdered Yajaira after she arrived at the office at 5pm. Around three-and-a-half hours later, her body was removed from the building in a wheelie bin, it was said. Toledo allegedly drove to Hampshire with Yajaira in his car then dumped the body. A post-mortem examination to determine her cause is ongoing. Venezuelan national Toledo, who was assisted by a Spanish interpreter, was remanded into custody. A plea hearing was set for September 1 with a provisional trial from April 20, 2026. The Met yesterday confirmed the body belonged to Yajaira. Acting Detective Chief Inspector Sean Beasley, who is leading the investigation, said: 'This is a very sad development in the investigation and our thoughts are very much with Yajaira's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. 'Officers have been working around the clock and continue to investigate the circumstances. 'There are still crime scenes in place and we're working closely with Hampshire Police. "We thank the community for their patience as we carry out our investigation and we continue to appeal to anyone with information that could assist the investigation to please come forward.' 1
The Independent
09-06-2025
- The Independent
Body found by police confirmed to be missing Colombian woman
Police have confirmed that a body found over the weekend is that of a Colombian woman who disappeared after leaving her east London home. Yajaira Castro Mendez, 46, was reported missing to the Metropolitan Police on May 31, having left her home in Ilford on the morning of May 29. An investigation was launched and 51-year-old Juan Francisco Toledo, of Lambeth, south London, was arrested on June 4 and subsequently charged with murder. Police conducted a search for Ms Castro Mendez and found a body in the Bolderwood area of Hampshire on Saturday, which has now been formally identified as her. Acting Detective Chief Inspector Sean Beasley said: 'This is a very sad development in the investigation and our thoughts are very much with Yajaira's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time. 'Officers have been working around the clock and continue to investigate the circumstances. 'There are still crime scenes in place and we're working closely with Hampshire Police. We thank the community for their patience as we carry out our investigation and we continue to appeal to anyone with information that could assist the investigation to please come forward.' Francisco Toledo, who police have said was known to the victim, was remanded in custody after appearing at Barkingside Magistrates' Court on June 6 to attend the Old Bailey on Tuesday. Ms Castro Mendez's disappearance was initially treated as a missing person investigation led by local officers but the investigation was transferred to the Met's Specialist Crime Command on June 5, after a range of extensive further inquiries suggested she had come to harm.
