A man who murdered his girlfriend in Crawley has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
Local resident Holly Sanchez was tragically found deceased at a bungalow in Oates Walk around 9am on 13 May, 2023. She was aged 32.
She died as a result of multiple injuries suffered during a domestic abusive relationship with 31-year-old Ryan Evans.
Holly’s family have issued the following statement:
“Holly was a daughter, granddaughter, aunt, sister, and most importantly a mother. We miss Holly and her infectious laugh every day. She was taken from us and her children by a cruel and evil monster, and the sentencing reflects Evans’ brutal treatment of Holly over the last six weeks of her life.
“We would like to thank the investigation team and our family liaison officers for all of their help and support throughout one of the most traumatic years. We would appreciate space and privacy while we process the terrible things we have heard and seen while we have been at court.
“We hope that Holly’s case raises awareness of how quickly domestic violence can have fatal consequences. We hope that Holly’s story will reach victims of domestic violence that are too scared to speak out and ask for help. We also hope that it raises awareness to the families of those who are currently suffering abuse and we would encourage families to pay close attention to any small changes of behaviour by their loved ones.”
Evans, of Oates Walk, Crawley, was arrested and charged with murder. He denied the offence and was remanded in custody to appear before Lewes Crown Court for trial on 24 June.
He was further charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, coercive and controlling behaviour and two counts of causing grievous bodily harm, all relating to Ms Sanchez.
These four additional offences were in relation to incidents previously reported to Sussex Police. Evans was interviewed and bailed with strict conditions not to contact the victim directly or indirectly, and Ms Sanchez was referred to the relevant safeguarding agencies as the alleged offences were investigated.
The CPS subsequently authorised these further charges – at the request of Sussex Police – following the murder charge, all of which Evans denied.
On Tuesday 16 July, the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict on the offences of murder, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, coercive and controlling behaviour and one count of causing grievous bodily harm; Evans was found not guilty of the second count of grievous bodily harm.
He was remanded in custody and appeared before Lewes Crown Court – sitting at Hove – on Friday 13 September, where he was sentenced to life and told he must serve a minimum of 23 years, minus time already spent on remand.
Two further people were arrested in connection with the investigation, but were released with no further action.
Detective Superintendent Debbie White, the Senior Investigating Officer, said: “Firstly, I’d like to commend Ms Sanchez’ family who have assisted us throughout this investigation and bravely stood before court to provide vital witness testimonies during the trial.
“They also had to hear the harrowing description of injuries inflicted on Ms Sanchez by Ryan Evans, which included causing significant hand and facial injuries. He also took financial advantage of her and made repeated threats of violence – before his offending escalated and ultimately led to her death in May 2023.
“No one should ever have to endure a violent relationship, and that’s why we offer a Domestic Abuse Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) – known as Clare’s Law – where people can request information on their partner or ex-partner’s criminal history to see if they are at risk of domestic violence.
“It means more people are making informed decisions on their own safety much sooner, potentially saving lives.
“I’d also like to thank all other witnesses who came forward to provide evidence, which assisted in our investigation to bring this violent offender to justice.”
Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Lewis, the force tactical lead for domestic abuse, added: “Clare’s Law enables the police to disclose information to a victim or potential victim of domestic abuse about their partner’s or ex-partner’s previous abusive or violent offending. This can either be requested by the individuals or a concerned third party through the ‘right to ask’, or provided by police through the ‘right to know’.
“We have seen a 233 per cent increase in DVDS applications in 2024 compared to the same period in 2021, which is encouraging because it means more and more people are finding the confidence to engage with us and seek the help they may need.
“We work closely with our partners to help victims by offering advice, support, seeking civil orders and signposting them to relevant agencies. We also have a programme in place where we monitor and manage offenders who are subject to stalking prevention orders or domestic violence prevention orders, to ensure those at risk are kept safe.
“Our overarching aim is to protect the public and relentlessly pursue offenders, and I would urge anyone with concerns to read more about Clare’s Law here.”
As part of this investigation, Sussex Police made a mandatory referral to the IOPC, which concluded there was no indication of misconduct by officers.
DCI Lewis added: “We remain committed to ensuring victims of domestic abuse receive the support and safeguarding they need by working closely with our partners, and we continually review our performance and strive to improve wherever possible.
“We also work closely with the IOPC to achieve best practise, and have dramatically improved our processes to ensure disclosures are made faster. In some cases, responses to applications are being provided 75 per cent more quickly than before the scheme was in place.”
More information on these improvements can be found online here:
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, report to police online or via 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.
