Louise Smith: Documentary about Havant teenager's murder airing on Netflix - how to watch

Louise’s case will be chronicled on the eighth episode of Netflix’s ‘When Missing Turns To Murder’. The teenager from Havant was murdered on May 8, 2020.

Her body was discovered in Havant Thicket 13 days after the killing. The search involved 306 people, drones and police dogs.

NOW READ: Shane Mays handed life sentence following Louise Smith murder

Shane Mays, then 30, of Somborne Drive, Leigh Park, was found guilty of murder following a four week trial at Winchester Crown Court. Louise was living with Mays and his wife Chazlynn at their one-bedroom flat in Ringwood House – after previously being thrown out of a relative’s address.

Mays was handed a minimum 25-year jail term. Mays originally admitted to manslaughter on the first day of the hearing – denying murder – but he was later found guilty of murder.

During the trial, the prosecution said Mays ‘simply cannot face’ confessing to murder. The court heard that a stick found at the scene had DNA on it 38 million times more likely to be Mays' than anyone else’s.

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A forensic expert said blood spots from Louise were discovered on his white Adidas trainers. The killer, with an IQ of 63, was also spotted on CCTV walking to his mother’s home in Stratfield Gardens after the murder.

Mays was also seen in Swanmore Road, at 3.11pm, walking by the entrance to Warren Park Primary School. He crept back to burn Louise’s body after the attack.

Louise’s mother, Rebecca Cooper, described Mays as ‘pure evil’. The documentary is available to stream now.