On December 1, 2018, 22-year-old Grace Millane was caught on CCTV leaving a bar.
She left with a man named Jesse Kempson, whom she had just met on the dating app Tinder.
The night seemed to be going well for the pair, and the two were seen heading to a nearby hotel.
Sadly, this was the last time Grace was seen alive.
What appeared to be a promising start to a romantic evening quickly turned into a nightmare.
Subsequently, the events that followed shocked everyone, resulting in a challenging investigation and trial.
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| Grace Millane |
Background
Grace Millane was a British backpacker who had recently completed a journey from England to New Zealand.
She was eager to explore new places and meet new people.
On the evening of December 1, 2018, she decided to meet Jesse.
Jesse was someone she had matched with on Tinder the day before, and they both agreed to hang out.
Grace initially felt safe because they met in a public place, surrounded by people, so she didn’t suspect anything was wrong.
They spent the evening hopping from one bar to another, enjoying each other's company.
However, Jesse had a sinister plan in mind, one that Grace could never have imagined.
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| Grace and Jesse enter the hotel |
The Murder
As the night progressed, Grace and Jesse visited several bars within the city.
By 8:54 PM, they shared their first kiss at a bar named Bluestone Room.
Unbeknownst to Grace, this would be her last moment of normalcy.
Jesse, who had been planning his evil motive all along, convinced Grace to follow him back to his hotel room.
The following morning, on what should have been Grace's birthday, her phone was flooded with messages from friends and family.
However, none of them were answered leaving everyone worried.
By then, Jesse had already murdered Grace by strangling her.
The hotel's CCTV footage showed Jesse moving around the hotel suspiciously the next morning.
He was seen carrying cleaning supplies and a suitcase—the same suitcase he had bought earlier that day to hide Grace's body.
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| Jesse Kempson leaving the store after buying the suitcase |
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| Jesse Kempson dragging Grace Millane's body in a suitcase |
Investigation
After Grace's loved ones reported her missing, Auckland police began to piece together the timeline of her disappearance.
Surveillance footage showed Jesse's suspicious behavior.
He was seen purchasing a suitcase, cleaning products, and even renting a car.
Disturbingly, after murdering Grace, Jesse went on a date with another woman he had met on Tinder.
Maybe, he was lining her up as his next victim.
This prompted the police to act quickly, tracking down Jesse at the City Life Hotel on December 5.
Although he initially tried to evade them, he was arrested and brought in for questioning.
During the interrogation, Jesse attempted to lie his way out of the situation.
However, the evidence against him was overwhelming, leaving him with no choice but to say the truth.
He claimed that Grace's death was an accident.
Jesse claimed that Grace died because of consensual rough sex that went wrong.
This defense is often referred to as the "Fifty Shades of Grey defense."
However, the police were not convinced.
They had CCTV footage and witness testimonies pointing to Jesse’s guilt.
Additionally, Jesse made purchases with Grace’s credit card after her death which further implicated him.
Extensive investigation eventually led detectives to Grace's body.
It was found on December 9, 2018, in the Waitakere Ranges, just outside Auckland.
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| The suitcase after it was recovered |
Trial and Justice
Jesse's trial began in 2020.
His defense hinged on the argument that Grace's death was accidental.
However, the evidence presented by the prosecution was damning.
Not only had Jesse strangled Grace, but he had also taken photos of her dead body.
He also made disturbing Google searches like "ways to dispose of a body".
Additionally, after Grace's death, Jesse continued with his normal daily activities.
He even met another woman on Tinder shortly after the murder and had drinks like nothing happened.
The jury found Jesse guilty of the charges against him.
On February 21, 2020, he was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum non-parole period of 17 years.
After his conviction, two more women came forward.
They also claimed that Jesse had assaulted them after meeting them on Tinder.
As a result of this new revelation, Jesse was slammed with more charges.
These new charges led to an additional 11 years being added to his life sentence.
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| Jesse Kempson in court |
What began as a promising date ended in unimaginable horror, leaving Grace's family and friends devastated.
The quick action of the Auckland police and their thorough investigation ensured that Jesse was brought to justice, preventing him from harming anyone else.
Grace's story continues to resonate, highlighting the need to stay vigilant and aware, even in safe situations.
Below is a longer video of the case from Dr. Insanity, which provides a detailed breakdown with videos and in-depth analysis.
In another case, a 14-year-old teenager was sentenced to 12 years in prison for murdering a woman during a failed robbery.
Click here to see more details on that case.
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