MOTHER-OF-TWO Kiesha Donaghy was beaten to death in what the judge described as an “exceptionally savage” attack.
Here’s everything we know about the fiend who took her life so callously and how long he’ll spend behind bars.
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Who killed Kiesha Donaghy?
Kiesha Donaghy was murdered by Owen Grant in November 2023 in her home in Elgin, Moray.
He repeatedly struck Kiesha with what was believed to be a claw hammer or a similar blunt instrument, resulting in her death.
Friends and relatives told cops she was being chased for a drug debt of up to £20,000.
Messages from an enforcer from Liverpool who called himself Joe Bloggs warned her his “Two Amigos” would be visiting her to get his cash.
Kiesha’s aunt Rachel revealed: “When we found she had been murdered I thought to myself this is Joe Bloggs, this is his amigos.”
But BBC documentary series Murder Case, which is available on iPlayer, shows how she was killed by Grant so he could steal the cash she set aside to pay off Joe Bloggs.
Shortly after her death, he went on a spending spree with her money, buying hundreds of pounds worth of cocaine within hours of her death.
Despite Grant’s denial of the crime during the trial, a jury found him guilty of murder at the High Court in Edinburgh.
The murder weapon was never recovered, as Grant was believed to have disposed of it deliberately in the immediate aftermath.
The case shocked the local community, with neighbours recalling hearing a disturbance and Kiesha’s cries during the incident.
BBC documentary series Murder Case shows detectives on Grant’s trail.
They eventually snared him at work in Elgin, Moray.
When the cops confront him, Grant says: “You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, but I’ve not done nothing.”
Just before he was led away in handcuffs, he asked: “What about my job?”
In a statement released through Police Scotland, Kiesha’s mum Amanda Gow thanked all those who have shown support.
She added: “Life without Kiesha will never be the same. She was my only daughter and my first born.
“Her two daughters will have to live their lives without their mum.
“I still cannot get my head around the fact that she is gone and that her life was taken in such a brutal way.”
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How long was Owen Grant jailed for?
Owen Grant was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Kiesha Donaghy.
Jurors were told he butchered Kiesha to get his hands on £770 that she had stashed in a wardrobe and was intended for Joe Bloggs.
The sentencing took place at the High Court in Edinburgh on May 29, 2025.
Judge Lord Scott imposed a life sentence, but specified a minimum term he must serve before he can be considered for parole — 24 years.
The judge stressed that the 24-year term is not the total time Grant will spend in prison, but is the earliest point he may be eligible for parole.
The attack was described by the judge as “exceptionally savage, frenzied and brutal”.
Whether he is released after this period will depend on an assessment by the Parole Board concerning the risk he poses to society at that time.
The judge cited the exceptionally brutal nature of the murder and Grant’s extensive history of violent offences as key factors influencing the length of the minimum sentence.
Grant’s criminal record includes multiple convictions for violent and dangerous behaviour over many years, including assault, robbery, arson and affray.
Kiesha’s aunt Rachel said: “I wish he had never been in Elgin and I wish he had never met Kiesha.
“I can’t believe he killed her for the money, It’s a disgusting thing to do.
“If he asked her for money she would have given it to him. It was just that he knew she had that money and he wanted it to feed his habit.
“He’s in jail now but we’ve got to carry on. It’s never going to be the same without her.”
