Ex-soldier’s bloody revenge - 12.03.2010

A FORMER soldier flew from Tenerife to Huddersfield, then murdered his mother-in-law and stabbed his brother-in-law in a bloody rampage.

Sebastian Mercante, a fanatical bodybuilder, exploded after being told by his estranged wife, Claire, that she wanted a divorce because she had met someone else.
The 40-year-old flew to Manchester last Friday and drove to her family home to wreak a terrible revenge
He knifed Carol Berry, 66, to death at her West Yorkshire home, and stabbed her 36-year-old son Andrew Field, as he tried bravely to protect her.
Mercante then drove 30 miles back to Manchester and scrawled the message “f*** u Claire” in blood on a car park wall, before throwing himself to his death from the eighth floor.
The former French Foreign Legion conscript met and married his English bride in Tenerife five years ago, but they are believed to have split up in 2008.
Police officers discovered what they described as a “torture kit” in Mercante’s hire car, which included cable ties and a “blunt instrument”. It is not known whether he used the implements.
A police source said Mercante may have been involved with neo-Nazi groups and that he had an iron cross tattoo,which helped West Yorkshire Police identify his body.
Mercante, originally from Argentina, flew to Manchester from Tenerife after being contacted by his 31-year-old wife. The killer is thought to have blamed his mother-in-law partially for the collapse of the marriage.
Mr Field was being treated in hospital this week, and his injuries were not thought to be life-threatening. Claire Mercante was being looked after by police.
The vivacious  blonde moved to Tenerife after completing her degree in biology. She  was working as a departmental manager for an import company when she met and married Mercante.
Police believe no one else was involved in what they described as a “targeted and domestic-related” attack last Friday evening.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “Detectives investigating the murder are not seeking anyone else after a man was found dead in Manchester.”
The semi-detached house in Huddersfield was cordoned off while police forensic officers carried out a search. A bloody hand print was seen smeared on the front door.
Michael Hunt, 46, who lives nearby, said his son found a knife close to the scene. “It had a blade about six inches long.” he said. “He watches CSI, so he knew not to touch the knife.”