Poppy Bilderbeck
A man has spoken out about his murdered sister and a shocking secret her death exposed.
In June 2019, Lesley Pearson disappeared for 10 days.
Her body was later discovered in the garden of her villa in Spain, having been strangled to death.
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Martial arts expert Francisco Javier Becerra was later found guilty of her murder.
Becerra had been working for Pearson as a handyman and later admitted to strangling her to death as a result of an argument about wages.
He buried Pearson's body in a shallow grave in her own garden, where it was discovered 10 days after she first disappeared, covered in quicklime.
In December 2021, Becerra was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years in prison. He was also ordered to compensate Pearson's brother, Steve Ramsbottom, with a total of £20,300.
While Pearson's murderer was identified and imprisoned, her brother has revealed a shock discovery the police made during the investigation.
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Ramsbottom recalled how his half-sister's body had been 'so decomposed' because of 'the climate and being covered in lime' that he wasn't allowed to see it.
"As her brother and only living relative, they asked me for a DNA sample," he told The Sun.
The first test came back 'inconclusive', so police had to do another one.
Two days later, Ramsbottom was told he and Pearson had 'different parentage' by the police and a pathologist.
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He said: "I was gobsmacked. Me and Lesley were so close. People always said we were like chalk and cheese, but I never in a million years expected this.
"[...] I couldn’t believe what I was hearing."
He explained how both his parents were 'dead by that point' so he was unable to ask them about the discovery.
"My dad, Stan, fought in World War Two and didn’t return home until June 1945. Lesley was born 4th April 1945. I know that my dad had not been home in between.
"Never in a thousand years had either of us suspected anything like this. We just didn’t put two and two together growing up and it never occurred to either me or Les," he said.
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Ramsbottom reflected how much of 'a daddy's girl' his half-sister had been when they were growing up in Manchester. "Lesley never had children and loved her family," he added.
“People often commented that me and Lesley were opposites. I was always very outgoing and sociable. We were very different people but loved each other and cared for each regardless."
He explained how 'heartbroken' Pearson would've been to learn the truth, and said: "First, I had to take in the news that Lesley was dead, then that she was murdered, and her body dumped.
"On top of that, finding out we were never full siblings was a huge blow. I was devastated."
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677