Essex killer dies in jail

A killer from Essex who shot dead his former partner and their 2-year-old daughter has died in hospital.

David Oakes subjected Christine Chambers to degrading assaults at her home in Braintree, before blasting her and their daughter Shania with a shotgun in 2011.

The 51-year-old was told he'd spend the rest of his life in prison - in the end, he served less than a year behind bars.

A killer from Essex who shot dead his former partner and their young daughter has died. 51-year-old David Oakes was serving a life sentence for the murders of his ex-partner Chrissie Chambers and their 2-year-old daughter Shania.

In was in Bartram Avenue in Braintree in June 2011 that Oakes tortured Chrissie before blasting her and their daughter with a shotgun.

He was left with facial injuries after he turned the gun on himself.

David Oakes was serving two life sentences at HMP Frankland in Durham. Oakes died shortly after 3am on Monday morning from what's thought to be natural causes.

A killer from Essex who shot dead his former partner and their young daughter has died. 51-year-old David Oakes was serving a life sentence for the murders of his ex-partner Christine Chambers and their 2-year-old daughter Shania.

ITV News Anglia has spoken to David Oakes' father Peter who said he was shocked by his son's death. He said his son had cancer that had spread to his stomach and chest and that he was told a few weeks ago he had only six months left to live.

David Oakes was serving two life sentences at HMP Frankland in Durham

The Ministry of Justice has confirmed that a man jailed for life for shooting dead his former partner and their two-year-old daughter in Braintree has died.

David Oakes was serving a life sentence at HMP Frankland Prison over the deaths of Christine Chambers and their daughter Shania.

In a statement, the MoJ said:

"HMP Frankland prisoner David Robert Oakes died at hospital on Monday 11 February.

"He is presumed to have died from natural causes.

"As with all deaths in custody, the Independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will conduct an investigation."

View our report on David Oakes' life sentence here.