Man found ‘walking along motorway’ told traffic officer ‘I’ve killed my girlfriend’
A woman in her 40s was found smothered to death in her own home with blue tape wrapped around her face the day after breaking up with her boyfriend, a court has heard.
Norbert Maiksner is on trial for 45-year-old Frances Obiefuleh’s murder, and was allegedly found the next day walking along a motorway.
When confronted by a traffic officer, Maiksner replied: ‘You will need to call the police – I’ve killed my girlfriend.’
Obiefuleh’s home was then searched, and she was found dead at the scene.
Doorbell camera footage showed someone entering her home from Maiksner’s car that night, and then a neighbour heard ‘four consecutive bangs’ around 15 minutes later.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.
Maiksner, 48, entered a not guilty plea, but he has not yet attended his ongoing trial at Portsmouth Crown Court, Hampshire.
Maiksner, from Havant, Hampshire, has been charged with the murder of Ms Obiefuleh and one count of child neglect.
The court heard that Maiksner had been found walking along a slip road of the M40 near High Wycombe, Bucks, on April 17, 2025, when he encountered the traffic officer.
Bodycam footage from the traffic officer was played to the court, followed by footage of Maiksner being arrested by police.
A video was then played of police entering the woman’s home through a window and finding her body on the floor. Blue tape had been wrapped around the victim’s face and head.
A post-mortem concluded that the woman’s cause of death was smothering, with an element of neck and/or chest compression.
The court heard how Maiksner had been in a relationship with Ms Obiefuleh, but ended things the day before her body was found.
After Maiksner was arrested and brought to Portsmouth Police Station, a number of scratches and abrasions were found on his body, the jury was told.
He was unable to date these scratches when asked by police at the time. The prosecution suggested these were inflicted by the victim while she was attacked by the accused.
In police interviews, Maiksner declined legal representation, then remained silent when questioned and at one point ‘nodded off’. He told police he did not want to talk to them.
Prosecuting, Paul Cavin KC said: ‘When taken to the police station, he has neither commented on nor retracted the statement he gave.’
A murder trial is now underway, even though the accused is not in the courtroom.
Once the jury was brought in, Mr Justice Murray explained that proceedings would continue without the defendant, who had chosen not to attend court.
He said: ‘The defendant is not here. When a person is being tried for murder, the defendant is held on remand in prison. That is not evidence of guilt, of course.
‘He has declined the prison transport to attend the trial in-person. He cannot be forced to do so. There is no question about his physical or mental fitness, and I am satisfied that his failure to attend is voluntary. It does happen from time to time; he is represented by counsel, and I have decided the trial can proceed in his absence.’
The jury was also told that prison transport will still be available to Maiksner throughout the trial, which is expected to last between two and three weeks, and so he could appear in court at a later date.
Mr Justice Murray added: ‘The most important thing is that you must bear in mind that this is not in itself evidence of guilt, so do not hold it against him.’
The trial continues.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.