Michele del Marco Lupo (19 January 1953 – 12 February 1995) was a serial killer originally from Italy, who was active in the UK. His most notable role was as branch manager at Yves Saint Laurent boutique in Brompton Road, London during the 1980s.
History
James George Burns
On 16 March 1986, the body of 37-year-old James Burns was found strangled and partially clothed in the derelict basement of 32 Warwick Road, Kensington, London. Burns was a British rail train guard and worked at London's Liverpool Street station. The investigation made little progress because there was no obvious link between a perpetrator and the dead man. Although two witnesses came forward confirming James spent the day drinking and ended up meeting Lupo at The Coleherne Pub in Earls Court. Burns and Lupo were seen leaving together and getting into a taxi outside the pub.
Kevin McDonagh (Survived)
After appeals made by the police and celebrities like Kenny Everett regarding the murder of James Burns, 31-year-old Kevin McDonagh on Oxford Street with a salary of £12,000 pa. At the time of his arrest, detectives established Lupo had been fired from Stravaganza only weeks earlier.
Lupo was originally from the village of Monte Donato, Bologna, Italy and had completed his national service in the Italian Bersaglieri, 22nd unit before coming to London in 1974.
The British tabloid press once or twice tried to dub Lupo "The Wolf Man" ("lupo" means "wolf" in Italian) but it never stuck or took off. He was occasionally referred to as the 'Silk Strangler' or 'Gay Executioner' but these never stuck nor took off. And while many gay men of the time recall the murders, Lupo and his crimes never really gained notoriety.
On 21 May, Lupo was charged with two other recent killings, those of hotel receptionist Damien McCloskey, who had been strangled in West London, and an unidentified man, who was murdered near Hungerford Bridge over the Thames. In addition to these four murders, Lupo was also charged with the attempted murder of Mark Leyland.
On 10 July 1987, at the Old Bailey, Lupo was sentenced to four life sentences, plus 14 years. Lupo had pleaded guilty to all charges.