Asylum seeker denies killing hotel worker, says he was not at railway station
The case of Deng Chol Majek and the death of Rhiannon Skye Whyte

An asylum seeker stationed in the West Midlands is standing trial, accused of a brutal killing at a railway station — but his defence insists he was not there. At the heart of the case: surveillance footage, a devastating attack and a dispute over presence and denial.

The incident

On the night of 20 October 2024 at around 23:00, the 27‑year‑old hotel worker Rhiannon Skye Whyte, who was finishing a late shift at the hotel where she worked in Walsall, left the building and headed to the nearby platform at Bescot Stadium railway station.
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According to prosecutors, she was followed from the hotel by Deng Chol Majek, who claims to be 19 and is originally from Sudan.
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Once on the station platform, the court has heard that Ms Whyte was stabbed 23 times with a screwdriver — many wounds to her head, one of which penetrated the skull and damaged the brain stem, which ultimately caused her death a few days later.
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She was found unconscious on the platform by a train guard and another member of the public.
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The evidence presented

The prosecution says the following key pieces of evidence show Majek’s involvement:

CCTV footage shows a figure wearing distinctive clothing tracking Ms Whyte from the hotel reception to the platform at Bescot Stadium station, waiting until she was alone and then attacking her.
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After the attack, the defendant is alleged to have returned to the hotel, changed apparel, and was seen dancing and laughing — described in court as being “clearly excited about what he had done”.
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Items belonging to the defendant’s hotel room were seized by police: a jacket, sandals and jewellery. Some of these items contained Ms Whyte’s blood, according to forensic evidence.
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The victim’s friend who was on the phone with her just minutes before the attack reported hearing three screams and then silence.
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The defence’s position

Majek denies the charge of murder and also denies possessing a screwdriver as an offensive weapon at the scene.
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His defence does accept he was present in the hotel earlier in the evening (between about 19:45 and 23:00 on 20 October) but strongly rejects that he is the figure seen on the station platform or that he committed the attack.
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Notably, during police interview, Majek remained silent throughout, choosing not to answer questions.
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Legal and procedural context

The trial is being held at Wolverhampton Crown Court, where a jury has been asked to consider whether the prosecution’s case is proved beyond reasonable doubt.
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The agreed facts document (read to the court) outlines what both parties accept as undisputed: Ms Whyte’s death, her employment and the location of the incident. However, the defendant’s presence at the scene is contested.
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Victim background

Rhiannon Skye Whyte was 27 years old and worked at the hotel in Walsall (used to house asylum seekers) for about three to six months prior to the attack.
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After the incident, her family described her as “selfless … brave, quirky, funny and always there for anyone who needed it.”
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Implications and broader questions

This case raises several important issues:

The question of how CCTV, forensic evidence and behavioural clues combine to build a prosecution’s narrative, particularly when the defendant denies being at the scene.

The role of accommodation housing for asylum‑seekers (like the hotel where both the victim and the defendant stayed) in broader debates around immigration, security and accommodation standards.

The emotional and social impact on the victim’s family: this was a young woman just doing her job who apparently became the target of a violent attack, and her loss has been described by her sister as “catastrophic”.
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Issues around communication: Majek’s silence in interview means the jury must weigh heavily the prosecution’s evidence (and any defence evidence) rather than rely on any explanation from the defendant himself.

Where things stand now

As of the latest hearings, the case rests with the jury who must determine whether the prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt that Majek was the attacker. The defence continues to maintain he did not go to the platform and did not commit the attack. The jury will be asked to assess the reliability of the CCTV identification, the forensic evidence linking items to the victim, and whether the defendant’s behaviour before and after the incident is consistent with guilt or not.

Final thoughts

At the core, this is a tragic case of a young woman going about her work who never made it home, and a young man accused of an extraordinarily violent act who insists he was not present. The evidence is serious and graphic; the stakes — for the victim’s family, for the defendant and for public confidence in justice — are high.

For the readers of 10most.net, it’s a reminder that behind headlines about asylum, accommodation and crime are human lives: victims, accused individuals, families irrevocably changed. The presumption of innocence remains a foundation of the system, but the jury must evaluate whether the combination of physical evidence, CCTV, witness testimony and behavioural indicators is enough to convict.

We will continue to monitor the trial and will update with any verdict or major development.

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