Michaela Hall’s death at the hands of Lee Kendall
Killer Britain with Dermot MurnaghanRecent statistics show that violence against women and girls is on the rise despite years of government efforts to tackle the epidemic. While many are assaulted and murdered by strangers, a significant number are targeted by the people they love the most.
This is exactly what happened to mum-of-two Michaela Hall, who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend on 31st May 2021. Keep reading as the team at Crime+Investigation explains the details of the case, including how institutional failings contributed to her death. The case is also featured on the latest series of Killer Britain with Dermot Murnaghan, which is available now on Crime+Investigation.
'Caring, intelligent and beautiful'
'Caring, intelligent and beautiful', these are the words Michaela's father, Peter, used when describing his daughter. According to family and friends, she had always been this way, ever since she was a little girl. In an interview with Cornwall Live, her mother, Anne, added: 'She loved anything that sparkled and was brave, trusting and confident.'
Michaela was raised near Truro in Cornwall — a cobbled cathedral city on Britain's southernmost tip. She had a loving family who were always supportive of her dreams and relationships, even if they harboured secret reservations.
Her trusting nature sometimes got her into trouble. She was suspended from her role as a charity worker for giving one service user an out-of-hours lift and allowing another to sleep in her car. However, she managed to secure a similar position shortly afterwards, working with vulnerable adults.
A deadly meeting
Michaela met Lee Kendall through work sometime around April 2019 when she visited him in prison. He had a complicated past marred by addiction and a predisposition towards violence. Of course, Michaela wanted to help him, and Kendall had no problem taking advantage of her kindness.
The two quickly started an intimate relationship, leading to the termination of her position. Eager to continue helping others, she became a fundraiser for the RNLI.
From an outside perspective, everything seemed to be going well — a new relationship and a career in an industry she was passionate about. However, it didn't take long for Kendall to reveal his true colours.
A pattern of abuse
In a pen portrait later presented in court, Michaela's son said: 'She often had bruises on her face'. She reported these assaults to the police, but they always continued.
There was a predictable pattern to the violence — Kendall would assault Michaela, get arrested, be released and then repeat the abuse. This cycle occurred a staggering 10 times in total, with each episode becoming increasingly brutal.
In April 2021, Kendall was arrested for the last time and charged with two counts of assault. Despite the history of escalating violence and domestic abuse, he was only given a three-year community order. A few weeks later, Michaela was dead.
The murder
Once released from prison, Kendall returned to Michaela like he always did — and like she always did, she let him in. However, she soon felt threatened and decided to call a friend. Thankfully, the children had already been removed from the home for their safety.
What her friend heard next was horrifying. Michaela screamed, 'Don't come near me, Lee' before there was a dull thud and silence. Petrified, she alerted Crimestoppers, who passed the report on to the Devon and Cornwall Police. Although marked as urgent, it took 20 minutes for officers to be dispatched. When they arrived, they conducted a cursory check of the property before leaving.
Tragically, it was Michaela's father who discovered her body amid growing concerns for her well-being. She had been viciously stabbed through the eye.
Institutional failings
Kendall was quickly arrested and charged with murder, for which he received a minimum 21-year term. Although justice had been served, Michaela's family felt she had been let down by everyone who was supposed to protect her.
Cornwall coroner Andrew Cox agreed there were institutional failings in how the case was handled. Firstly, Kendall was categorised as 'medium risk' when he was released from prison, meaning he received minimal supervision from a private contractor rather than the national probation service.
Then, multiple agencies failed to safeguard Michaela. Social workers removed her children from the house but not her. The charity she worked for never checked her employment references — if they had, they would have realised she had a history of violating professional boundaries. The police didn't break into the house despite an emergency call warning that she was being attacked.
Cox acknowledged the significance of these mistakes in his final judgment: 'Had the shortcomings and errors not occurred, it is more likely than not that Ms Hall would not have died when she did.'
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