An individual seeking asylum, who brutally stabbed a mother to death, has been handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 29 years. Deng Chol Majek was observed dancing and laughing at Walsall’s Park Inn Hotel after viciously stabbing Rhiannon Whyte 23 times at Bescot Stadium railway station. A police officer described the attack as one of the most horrific murders he had ever witnessed, with Rhiannon suffering fatal injuries including a traumatic brain stem injury caused by a crosshead screwdriver.
Justice Soole emphasized the extreme brutality displayed by Majek, stating that there were no mitigating circumstances. The minimum term of 29 years for Majek, accounting for time spent in custody, allows for the possibility of release after 27 years and 254 days.
The incident occurred after Majek unnervingly stared at three female hotel staff members for extended periods, leading to his report to security at Park Inn on October 20, 2024. British Transport Police’s Detective Chief Inspector Paul Attwell remarked that Rhiannon had no chance against the 6ft 3in tall Majek.
Majek tracked Rhiannon on foot to the station, where he disappeared from view onto a deserted platform for about 90 seconds before launching the attack. Despite the efforts of a train’s driver and guard who discovered Rhiannon injured on the platform, she succumbed to her wounds three days later in the hospital.
Following the attack, Majek was captured on CCTV wiping blood from his trousers as he walked to Caldmore Green to purchase beer. Upon his return to the hotel, he changed his bloodstained footwear, joining other residents in the car park, visible to emergency responders at the station.
During the trial, Majek alleged he was not the individual seen tracking Rhiannon on CCTV and claimed to have left a pregnant wife in Sudan. Background information revealed to the jury confirmed his lack of prior convictions or cautions, except for an incident in Germany in 2023 where he was arrested for damaging a train door.
No motive for the attack was disclosed during the trial, although witnesses mentioned an encounter between Majek and Rhiannon earlier that evening. Rhiannon’s sister, Alex Whyte, expressed the family’s devastation, describing Rhiannon as a bright, kind, and hardworking individual with a promising future.
Alex criticized Majek for the merciless and unprovoked attack that cut short Rhiannon’s life, highlighting his apparent lack of remorse. She emphasized Rhiannon’s courageous fight for survival against Majek’s cowardly actions, leaving a lasting impact on her loved ones.
