Tourists’ ‘Friend’ Sentenced To Death

A British fugitive suspected of committing crimes around the globe was sentenced today to death for the murder of a South African tourist whose body parts were found in the sea.

John Martin Scripps, 35, was found guilty of bludgeoning Gerard Lowe to death with a hammer in a Singapore hotel room they shared on March 8.

Scripps has spent most of his adult life in jails for petty crimes and drug offenses.

He also is wanted in Thailand for the murders of a 49-year-old Canadian schoolteacher, Sheila Damude, and her son, Darin, 23. He also has been linked to the murder of a British vacationer in Cancun, Mexico.

Prosecutor Jennifer Marie told the court this week that Scripps’ motive was money: He befriended tourists, killed them and pillaged their wallets and credit cards, she said.