Handyman who murdered Lancashire doctor and her teenage daughter is jailed for life
Video report by ITV Correspondent Amy Welch
A handyman who killed a doctor and her teenage daughter before setting their bodies alight at their home in Burnley has been jailed for a minimum of 34 years.
Shahbaz Khan, from Burnley, pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court in to murdering Dr Saman Mir Sacharvi and 14-year-old daughter Vian Mangrio.
The 52-year-old had initially denied his guilt, but three weeks into the trial pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and one count of arson being reckless as to whether life is endangered.
His wife, Rabia Shahbaz, 45, who provided a false alibi was found guilty in July of committing an act with intent to pervert the course of justice.
Saman and Vian were found dead at their home, in Colne Road, Reedley, on 1 October 2020, after police were called over concerns for their welfare.
Vian's severely burned body was found in the lounge of the semi-detached property and an attempt had also been made to set Dr Sacharvi's body alight in the front bedroom upstairs.
Both women were also found to have had Diazepam in their systems, suggesting they were drugged prior to being killed.
CCTV footage showed a person approaching the house of the doctor and her daughter on the morning of the murders.
The figure did not leave until around 10pm - almost 12 hours after arriving.
Khan admitted he was at the property that day but, until the end of the trial, denied murdering the mother and daughter.
The prosecution argued that he had drugged Dr Saman by mixing Diazepam, Rose wine, fruit and a spice into a smoothie before killing her.
At 3:25pm, Vian returned home from school at which point she was also drugged and killed.
It is believed Khan made attempts to cover his tracks by setting both bodies and a kettle in the kitchen alight to suggest the deaths had been caused by an electrical fire.
He had also etched graffiti on the walls which said ‘my mum is evil’ and ‘this is a Covid house’.
The prosecution said this was done in an event that the fire did not take hold to suggest the two victims had disagreed, which had resulted in Saman taking her own and her daughter’s life.
Police found £27,000 worth of jewellery in Khan and Shahbaz's loft which belonged to Dr Saman.
Rabia Shahba, the wife of Shahbaz Khan, initially told police her husband had been at home all day, however this was proven to be a lie.
She then told police Khan had been at work at Tesco on the day of the murders, however this was also proven false.
On Tuesday, October 5, Khan appeared again at Preston Crown Court, where he was jailed for life, with a minimum sentence of 34 years.
Khan's wife, Rabia Shahbaz, was jailed for 30 months after a jury found her guilty of perverting the course of justice when she provided a false alibi for her husband.
Detective Chief Inspector Pauline Stables, of the Force Major Investigation Team, said: “The women were killed in their own home, by someone they knew and trusted.
“As a result of his actions, Khan not only took two lives but caused unimaginable heartache and distress to all those who knew Saman and Vian and it is clear they are missed terribly every single day."
She added: “I am satisfied with the sentences handed down today. Khan will be behind bars for a very long time, while Rabia Shahbaz also faces time in jail to consider the consequences of her actions."