Greenstead murder probe: Supporters pay for body of Mary Wells to be returned to US

Mary Wells, 21, was found with stab wounds at an address in Laing Road, Colchester, on January 17.

The American citizen, who died at the scene, was believed to have travelled to the UK on a six-month visa.

An inquest at Chelmsford Coroner’s Court previously heard she had come to see a man she had met online.

A fundraising page was set up to help her grieving family with the process of transporting her body home.

On the page, Mary was described as a person who “would give someone the shirt off her back.”

It said: “Mary was quiet and didn’t ask for much. She wasn’t the kind of person who likes to fight or argue. She was very shy.”

It added: “Mary had a tough couple of years.

“She lost her mum due to health problems and lost her grandmother, who took care of her after her mum died two years ago.”

Mary was due to return to America yesterday after a sixmonth visit to England.

Instead she was found with stab wounds at the address in Greenstead in Colchester.

Mary had been born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and lived in Dallastown, Philadelphia, where she graduated from high school.

The page set a target of raising £3,300 and reached the goal in just two days.

It described the difficulties of transporting Mary’s body home amid the Covid-19 crisis.

“There are a lot of rules that have to be in place to bring her back from England,” it said.

“The crematorium is charging for delivery to the USA plus custom fees.

“The family tried to get help from the Embassy and there is nothing they can do.”

Speaking at an inquest into her death, assistant coroner Tina Harrington established a provisional cause of death as penetrating wounds to the neck and torso.

She said: “Mary had apparently come to the UK to meet with a man that she had met online and had a six-month visa.”

Adam Butt, 21, of Laing Road, has been charged with murder and is due to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on April 28.