Tragically, a pregnant woman lost her life after being viciously stabbed multiple times by her controlling and abusive partner, a man with a violent past who had previously served a life sentence for murder.
Alana Odysseos, aged 32 and expecting her third child, was attacked in the early hours of July 22, 2024, at her residence in Walthamstow, East London. The assailant, 47-year-old Shaine March, known as a “lifer” due to his prior incarceration, was responsible for the fatal assault.
Initially pleading guilty to manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility, March later altered his plea to murder during proceedings at the Old Bailey.
It emerged during the trial that March, at just 21 years old, had previously been convicted of murdering 17-year-old Andre Drummond by stabbing him in the neck during a dispute at a fast-food outlet in January 2000. He was sentenced to life imprisonment that same year.
After his release on licence in 2013, March was returned to prison within months for assaulting another partner, before being freed again in 2018.
In early 2024, March began a relationship with Alana, which rapidly deteriorated into a pattern of abuse and domination. Prosecutor Louise Oakley described Alana as vulnerable, emphasizing that “all she wanted before her death was to be loved.”
Alana had endured significant personal tragedies, having lost two previous partners. She confided in her father about March’s criminal history and licence status. Family members revealed that March accused her of infidelity, forced her to erase male contacts from her phone, and sent threatening messages claiming the unborn child was not his, demanding she terminate the pregnancy.
Her sister, Jasmine Yates, recounted that March exhibited a volatile temperament and a fractured personality, yet Alana remained deeply in love, hopeful he could change.
On the evening of July 21, Alana messaged Jasmine expressing concern over March’s erratic behavior. When Jasmine replied, “You deserve so much better,” Alana responded, “You can’t choose who you love, but he doesn’t love any of us.”
Later that night, neighbors heard loud arguments and saw Alana outside in tears, dressed only in her robe. Around 3 a.m., she was discovered suffering from 19 stab wounds across her torso, limbs, and pelvis.
As she lay gravely injured, witnesses heard her cry out, “Shaine stabbed me, he stabbed me. Help, help.”
March fled the scene, leaving a voice message stating, “Mum, I just killed a woman, and I’m going back to jail.”
He subsequently entered a local café in Walthamstow, bloodied, and confessed to staff, “I killed my wife and child.”
Upon arrest, March reportedly told police, “I did it. I killed her – Alana Odysseos. I killed her, hahahaha.” He then requested to be taken back to prison, saying, “Put me where I belong. I’m scum. I deserve it.”
Even while in custody, March continued his violent behavior, assaulting another detainee by kicking him in the head and knocking out three teeth despite being handcuffed.
He remains in custody awaiting sentencing on October 31, with prosecutors advocating for a whole life order, ensuring he will never be released.
Alana’s grieving family, who attended the entire trial, witnessed March’s outbursts in court before his guilty plea. They expressed gratitude to the prosecution team and the Metropolitan Police for their dedication in achieving justice.
Jasmine described her sister as a “kind-hearted soul” and an “exceptional mother,” whose life was tragically cut short by a man she believed she could redeem.
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