Fiance killed pregnant partner with hammer as pal pinpoints 'sickening irony'

Pregnant Marelle Sturrock was bludgeoned to death with a hammer by boyfriend David Yates just months after his former band released a song entitled 'Hammer of Justice', it has been claimed. Yates, 36, is believed to have killed primary school teacher Ms Sturrock, 35, who was 29 weeks pregnant, at their home in Glasgow, in a savage attack in which her unborn son Jayden also died. 

Her body was found just before 9pm on April 25, with police then mounting a manhunt for Yates, whose body was found at Mugdock Country Park, approximately nine miles north of the city, having apparently killed himself.

One of Ms Sturrock’s friends has now shared a screenshot from Facebook of the band Nocturne Wulf announcing the release of their single.

She commented: "There’s a sickening irony to the name of the single his old band released in 2022 and the circumstances of Marelle’s passing."

Another insider told the Daily Record: “He attacked her with a hammer just a short time after his band released a song talking about smashing people's skulls in with a hammer of justice. It's just all so bizarre."

The song, released in November, is still available on Spotify and contains the lyrics, "hammer of justice ends all".

Other lines include "I raise up my hammer and I smash in his skull" and "the lives I will take by the will of my hand".

The band also produced £15 T-shirts in support of the track, report the Daily Record, featuring a character clutching a sledgehammer.

Yates himself had no involvement in the song, having quit the band in 2020, claiming in a Facebook post: "For me, latterly, I found that my heart just wasn’t in the band at that level that it needed to be.

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"I wanted a puppy more than I wanted to be in a band, I wanted a family more than I wanted to be in a band."

Speaking that same year, Yates told The Razor’s Edge website: “We are all missing gigging, but I think we are heading in the right direction, if people are sensible. It has not been too bad for me.

"I’ve been furloughed from work, so it’s been frustrating not seeing folk and we had a few gigs lined up that have now been cancelled and rescheduled which was gutting.”

A statement issued by Marelle’s parents Colin and Lorna Sturrock on May 2 confirmed she was expecting a boy.

They said: “We are devastated following the deaths of our daughter, Marelle, and soon to be grandson, Jayden Sturrock.

“Marelle was the happiest person you could ever meet and was always looking to help others the best she could.

“Marelle and her partner doted on each other, and this incident has come as a total shock to all who knew her.”

The couple added: "We would like to thank family and friends, colleagues at Sandwood Primary School, Police Scotland officers, both in the Highlands and Glasgow, for their efforts and comforting support following our tragic event.

“Our family would like everyone, including the press, to respect our privacy at this very sad and difficult time."

Police Scotland has not officially confirmed how Ms Sturrock died.