A man from England has been given a life sentence for the murder of his 96-year-old grandmother, Emma Finch.
Joshua Powell, 27, was taken into custody after Finch was found dead on the bedroom floor of her home in the village of Liss on May 17, 2024. A carbon monoxide alarm had sounded in the property, prompting Hampshire Fire and Rescue and Hampshire Constabulary to respond, according to a police news release.
Investigators determined that a fire had begun on Finch’s bed, and matches discovered at the scene did not match a separate box found elsewhere in the home.
Powell was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court on Nov. 14 to life in prison, with a minimum term of 26 years, after entering a guilty plea.
Authorities said Powell had regularly visited Finch, helping with groceries and playing Scrabble. When first questioned, he claimed he had been asleep at home during the time of the killing. However, CCTV footage later revealed his vehicle had traveled to and remained in the Liss area around 2 a.m. on the night of the crime. His phone, connected to the car, was also active during that period.
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Additional evidence showed that the code to the key safe at Finch’s home had been entered into his phone weeks earlier, despite Powell insisting he didn’t know it. Police reported that he was experiencing financial difficulties and had told friends he expected to inherit money. He also allegedly mentioned having a nightmare in which he killed his grandmother.
Police arrested Powell on May 19, 2024. He was formally charged with murder three days later and kept in custody until admitting the crime in May 2025.
A post-mortem examination concluded that Finch died of neck compression, with no carboxyhemoglobin in her blood — a sign she was killed before the fire started.
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Forensic analysis linked Powell to Finch’s injuries, the key safe, and a belt found near the scene that carried her blood. A knife matching one missing from her home was also recovered nearby.
Senior Investigating Officer Howard Broadribb said in the police release that Powell had betrayed his grandmother’s trust and continued to deny responsibility until overwhelming evidence proved otherwise. He added that the sentence offers her family the chance to grieve knowing justice has been delivered.
