A review is being conducted into the deaths of four people who were living at a homeless shelter at the same time as serial killer James Desborough, police have said. Desborough, 40, is to be sentenced on Wednesday afternoon for murdering Claudio Aquilino, 57, and Daniel Coleman, 43, in Cornwall last year.

The killer, a Dexter fanatic, and his victims previously lived together at Sandy Lodge Hotel in Newquay, which housed homeless people and those suffering from addictions. Earlier this year he was also sentenced for murdering his prison cellmate, Steven Kempster, in Exeter, because he was irritated by his snoring. While on remand for the murder charges. Desborough was found guilty of that murder in March.

In light of the deaths of Mr Aquilino and Mr Coleman, police are reviewing the unexplained deaths of four others who lived there at the same time as Desborough.

The killer lived at Sandy Lodge Hotel between December 2024 and April 2025, during which time two men and two women died unexpectedly.

Detective Superintendent Rachael Bentley, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: “As a major crime investigation team, we were informed by the coroner’s officer for His Majesty’s Coroner that there were four deaths at Sandy Lodge.

“As part of the investigation, a detective inspector, separate to the investigation but within major crime, did a review of those deaths and that included commissioning some more forensic work, some CCTV and statements.

“There are still some inquiries outstanding on those. They remain as unexpected deaths, but there are still some inquiries outstanding. He’s not a suspect at this time.

“We’re in conversation with His Majesty’s Coroner, but they were reviewed as part of the investigation.”

She said that the investigation into the four deaths at the Sandy Lodge Hotel was “ongoing”. “We don’t believe there is a link at this time,” Bentley said.

She added that police attended each of the deaths at Sandy Lodge and inquiries suggested natural causes but coronial investigations were paused when Desborough was arrested for murder.