A man has been found guilty of the murder of a head chef who worked at top London restaurants including Claridge’s.
Adam Rowson, 26, was convicted for the murder of Alexis De Naray in Shrewsbury last summer, following a 12-day trial at Stafford Crown Court.
Jurors were told that De Naray, 46, trained at the Prue Leith Cooking School and worked in several high-end kitchens in the capital, but began drinking due to the “stressful nature of the job” and was homeless and a chronic alcoholic at the time of his death last June.
He was found dead in a blood-stained sleeping bag in an abandoned building in Shrewsbury, Shropshire on June 27 2025.
During the trial, the court heard that a post-mortem examination revealed De Naray had been subjected to a significant blunt force assault before his death, suffering 17 fractured ribs and a brain haemorrhage, as well as injuries to his arms.
The jury unanimously convicted Rowson, who was also homeless, of killing De Naray, with Judge Avik Mukarjee adjourning sentencing until May 6 and remanding Rowson into custody.
Prosecutor Sally Howes KC told the court that De Naray was a “well-educated man” from a Greek family.
She said: “Having attended the Prue Leith Cooking School, he worked as a head chef in a number of restaurants in London.
“Unfortunately, due to the stressful nature of that job, drinking became a way of life and his alcohol problems began. By the time of his death he had become a chronic alcoholic.”
Jurors were told that De Naray met Rowson at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the pair were seen on CCTV shortly before 4am the next morning walking towards the derelict building.
Detectives discovered that Rowson was the last person to see the chef alive, and was found to have later used De Naray’s bank card to buy alcohol and scratch cards.
Rowson told jurors he invited the victim to his squat, before engaging him in a fight when De Naray “leaned” on Rowson as he was looking out of a window.
He told jurors he punched De Naray to the chest, but claimed the chef was still alive when he left him.
The jury also heard from Jessica Kirk, who worked at the Shropshire Recovery Partnership drug and alcohol support service, who said that at a scheduled appointment with Rowson he told her he had “done something bad” - which Rowson later claimed related to his use of the victim’s bank cards.
Rowson was also heard on CCTV cameras outside a supermarket on June 25 telling friends he had “killed someone”.
De Naray's father reported his son as missing on June 24, and police received a 101 call from Rowson three days later saying he had found a body in the abandoned house.
Detective Inspector Joanne Delahay, who led the investigation, said: “Alexis died as a result of a vicious and prolonged assault at the hands of Rowson.
“I’m pleased that he has been found guilty today and will now face a substantial amount of time in prison.
“Our thoughts remain with Alexis’s family and friends, who have been incredibly strong throughout this ordeal.”
Rowson has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on Wednesday May 6 at Stafford Crown Court.
