Bitcoin trader guilty of murdering transgender woman after drugs binge

A 25-year-old British man who fell into drug-dealing and selling Bitcoins, has been convicted in connection with the death of transgender woman Naomi Hersi.

Jesse McDonald was found guilty by a jury at the Old Bailey of murdering 36-year-old Naomi Hersi and of perverting the course of justice. He will be sentenced on Thursday, 1st November. McDonald’s girlfriend, Natalia Darkowska, 18, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

The court heard that McDonald met Hersi through the website fabswingers.com. He then began to spin a web of lies as the pair spent almost three days together, during which McDonald ignored his girlfriend’s calls and texts.

He later texted Darkowska, saying that he had “been a […] idiot” and that he had “not cheated” but had “got addicted to a nasty drug” that he claimed he’d never had before.

He continued to message Darkowska, stating: “got a big drug dealer … lying across my floor right now … won’t wake up.”

Claiming not to have slept in three-four days and that he had had a knife held to his throat at times by Hersi, McDonald also confessed to taking methamphetamine and crystal meth, and gave the impression that he was in danger. He also claimed he had been given the drug GHB.

Darkowska eventually made her way to his Hounslow, west London address. Hersi had been murdered by the time she arrived. Her reaction was not to immediately leave the scene, but rather to clean up blood. Along with McDonald, she then caught a taxi to the Park Hotel in Teddington.

During the cleaning process, McDonald phoned his mother and claimed that she had grabbed him around the throat tightly before glancing at a pillow. Thinking she was going to smother him with the pillow, he hit her over the head with a bottle.

He said he had been fighting for his life for six hours, during which he picked up a knife and repeatedly stabbed Hersi, killing her. Following this conversation, McDonald’s mother called the police.

Jurors heard how McDonald offered his landlord a designer watch if he cleared up his room before confessing he had killed someone. During his police interview, he continued to claim he had been bound and raped, but later said he had contacted Hersi “because I’m a complete idiot”.

Cold and calculated killer

“From day one of this murder, McDonald has spun lie after lie and tarnished the name of the victim by calling her the vilest names in front of her family,” said Detective Inspector Tom Dahri, of the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command.

“McDonald completely fabricated that he was kept against his will at Naomi’s address and there was no evidence whatsoever that he had been raped by her. This was simply smoke and mirrors to portray himself as a victim. He is a cold and calculated killer who involved his girlfriend in attempting to clear up the mess that he had made. I am very pleased the jury saw through his tissue of lies.”