A man confessed to killing his former spouse and burying her in his backyard with the assistance of his aunt. Alireza Askari, 42, acknowledged the murder of Paria Veisi, 37, at their previous residence in Penylan, Cardiff, where Ms. Veisi had recently moved out following their separation.
The discovery of Ms. Veisi’s body in a makeshift grave concealed under a flower bed in the property’s garden was made by the police, as revealed during the trial at Cardiff Crown Court. Prosecuting lawyer William Hughes KC stated that Askari had committed the murder in the conservatory before enlisting the help of his aunt, Maryam Delavary, to dispose of the body.
Askari and Ms. Veisi, who migrated from Iran to the UK in 2010 and were married but separated at the time of the incident, were found to have been in contact with another woman in Iran, suspected to be Askari’s girlfriend, before the murder took place. Text messages indicated Askari’s intent to harm Ms. Veisi.
According to the prosecution, Askari purchased a set of kitchen knives believed to be the murder weapon on April 12, 2025, before the crime. Delavary was summoned by Askari to help cover up the murder, as she traveled from London to Cardiff and assisted in purchasing supplies from a supermarket.
Following concerns raised by a friend of Ms. Veisi, a missing person investigation was launched by the South Wales Police. Askari was apprehended on his way back to Cardiff from Birmingham, where containers of caustic soda were discovered in his vehicle. The prosecution claimed these chemicals were intended for disposing of Ms. Veisi’s remains.
Ms. Veisi’s body was eventually found buried under patio slabs, soil, and newly planted flowers in the property’s garden. She had sustained multiple stab wounds to her chest and neck. Hiria Veisi, the victim’s sister, expressed the family’s devastation at the loss and emphasized the need for justice to prevent similar tragedies.
Askari, residing in Penylan, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to murder and improper burial of a body, with an additional charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm remaining on file. Delavary, from White City Estate, London, admitted to perverting the course of justice. The sentencing of both defendants is scheduled for Friday before Mrs. Justice Stacey.
