The murder trial of asylum seeker Deng Chol Majek has unveiled horrifying details surrounding the death of 27-year-old hotel worker Rhiannon Skye Whyte in Walsall. Prosecutors allege that Majek, a Sudanese national claiming to be 19, attacked Whyte with a screwdriver, stabbing her 23 times and leaving her to die at a railway station before returning to his hotel, where he was later seen dancing and laughing. The trial, held at Wolverhampton Crown Court, has gripped public attention as the jury hears evidence of a brutal and seemingly motiveless killing.
A Deadly Pursuit from Hotel to Train Station
On the night of 20 October last year, Rhiannon Skye Whyte had finished her shift at the Park Inn hotel in Walsall, where she had worked for only three months. The defendant, Deng Chol Majek, was living at the same hotel while seeking asylum in the United Kingdom. According to prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC, Majek appeared to have fixated on Whyte earlier that evening, watching her closely from the reception area. CCTV footage later captured him following her after she left work, trailing her through the streets toward the nearby Bescot Stadium railway station.
Prosecutors told the court that Whyte, who was on the phone with a friend during her journey, suddenly began to scream. The friend, alarmed by the sudden commotion, reportedly heard the attack unfold in real time. Within minutes, a train guard discovered Whyte lying on the platform, bleeding profusely from multiple wounds. Emergency services were called immediately, but her injuries were so severe that she could not be saved.
Michelle Heeley described the attack as relentless and frenzied. “He followed her down onto the train platform at the Bescot Stadium station and then he attacked her,” she told the jury. “Stabbing her over and over again with a screwdriver. He left her bleeding to death and then casually went back to his hotel.” The prosecution contends that Majek’s behavior following the assault — calm, detached, even gleeful — underscores his awareness and satisfaction in what he had done.
Forensic Evidence and CCTV Footage Paint a Grim Picture
Investigators were able to identify Deng Chol Majek swiftly due to the distinctive clothing he wore that night, which matched the attacker captured on CCTV. Officers arrived at the hotel soon after, where they found Majek along with several items of clothing that appeared to have bloodstains. These included a jacket, a ring, and a pair of sandals. Forensic analysis later confirmed that the blood on these items belonged to Rhiannon Whyte.
The prosecution emphasized the brutality of the attack. Whyte sustained 23 stab wounds in total, most of them to her head. Eleven of these penetrated her skull, and one in particular struck the brain stem, a wound described as “ultimately fatal.” Other wounds to her chest and arms suggested that she had tried desperately to defend herself. When Deng Chol Majek was examined, police found traces of Whyte’s DNA under his fingernails, consistent with a violent struggle.
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Heeley KC told the court, “The police were able to review the CCTV very quickly and they could see the defendant in his distinctive clothing. When they went to the hotel, they found him and his clothes. They seized a number of items, including the jacket the attacker could be seen wearing on the CCTV. The jacket, a ring, and the sandals had Rhiannon Whyte’s blood on them.”
After the attack, CCTV allegedly captured Deng Chol Majek returning to the hotel, moving with composure, and later behaving in a disturbingly carefree manner. Witnesses described him as laughing, dancing, and appearing “excited” — behavior that prosecutors argue demonstrates a chilling lack of remorse. “He was clearly excited about what he had done,” Heeley said, characterizing his actions as those of someone who had derived satisfaction from the killing rather than distress or regret.
Unclear Motive and Continuing Trial
Despite the mounting evidence presented to the court, the motive for the killing remains uncertain. According to witnesses, there had been no prior altercation or known conflict between Majek and Whyte. Earlier in the evening, Majek had reportedly been seen staring at Whyte and another co-worker, but no one could identify any specific incident or dispute that might have provoked such a violent act.
Heeley acknowledged the absence of a clear motive, telling jurors, “No one could recall any particular issue that would have caused him to act in that way. What is clear from the CCTV is that the defendant was hanging around the reception area, staring at Rhiannon throughout the evening.” This unexplained fixation adds an unsettling dimension to the case, leaving investigators and the public to question what led to such an extreme and senseless outburst of violence.
Deng Chol Majek has denied all charges, including murder and possession of an offensive weapon. His defense team has not yet presented its case, and the trial continues.
The incident has sparked broader discussion about safety measures for hospitality workers, particularly those working late shifts in isolated or public-facing environments. It has also reignited debate over the management of asylum seekers housed in hotels across the UK — a temporary accommodation policy that has drawn scrutiny from local authorities and advocacy groups. While there is no indication that Majek’s immigration status had any direct bearing on the crime, the fact that he was residing in the same hotel as the victim has prompted calls for more rigorous risk assessments in similar housing arrangements.
As the trial progresses, the focus remains on the evidence: the CCTV footage, the forensic results, and the testimony of witnesses who observed Majek’s behavior before and after the killing. The prosecution maintains that these elements collectively demonstrate his guilt beyond doubt. Whether the defense can offer an alternative explanation or mitigating context will determine the ultimate outcome in what has become one of the most disturbing homicide cases to reach Wolverhampton Crown Court in recent years.
The jury is expected to hear further testimony from forensic experts, police investigators, and hotel staff in the coming days, as the court seeks to piece together the full sequence of events that led to Rhiannon Skye Whyte’s tragic death.