A heartbroken grandmother has revealed how her life changed forever when her beloved younger sister was brutally murdered.
Josephine Rule, 71, adored her younger sister, Joy Boulton, growing up, and the pair would speak on the telephone every day.
In May 2023, Joy, 59, who lived in Ash, Surrey, was bludgeoned to death by her fiancé Trevor Dibnah’s ex-partner – jealous love rival Sara McKenzie.
McKenzie, 62, hated Joy for ‘stealing’ her man after a year-long love triangle, and battered her to death in her own home in the quiet town.
Josephine continues to mourn the tragic death of her sister, calling McKenzie, who showed no remorse in court, ‘pure evil’.
A retired housekeeper who worked at a children’s home, Josephine said: ‘Sara’s motive was simple, she wanted what Joy had.
‘Thinking of Joy’s last moments in agony, I hope Sara rots in prison.
‘I don’t want my beloved sister to be remembered by this. She had a heart of gold and a hole has been left in my family’s hearts that can never be filled.
‘No sentence will bring her back.’
Joy Boulton (pictured) was murdered in May 2023 by Sara McKenzie, the jealous ex-partner of her fiancé Trevor Dibnah
Josephine, from Aldershot, Surrey, has three children, 18 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. Her younger sister Joy, however, had no children and lived alone for many years.
Josephine added: ‘I was 11 years older than Joy. She was my shadow growing up, and I always wanted to protect her no matter what.
‘Later in life, we remained very close. Joy got married in her early 20s but it only lasted a year.
‘She prioritised our mum, helping look after her over the years. Whilst I had a family of my own.
‘But after we lost Mum in 2011, Joy took it the worst and turned to alcohol.
‘So much so that later that year, she nearly died, and was put into an induced coma.
‘Joy pulled through and survived. But had mobility issues, and had to use a frame to walk.
Sisters Josephine Rule (left) and Joy were very close growing up and would talk on the phone every day
Murderer Sara McKenzie (pictured), 62, showed no remorse for her crimes in court
‘She had a carer initially, then adapted to life as a disabled person.
‘She couldn’t work because of it but thankfully she didn’t touch a drop of alcohol ever again. We were all so proud of her.’
In 2021, Joy told Josephine that she was in love with a mechanic, Trevor Dibnah, who lived locally.
Josephine explained: ‘He was known as a womaniser and had a partner, Sara.
‘Joy and this man were having an affair and I was really concerned. I told her to stop and that she was going to get herself into trouble.
‘I didn’t want anyone taking advantage of my sister either. She’d been so lonely over the years and I knew she was very vulnerable. I kept expressing my concerns to her.
‘Little by little, she became more distant as she knew I didn’t approve. The more serious her relationship got, she stopped speaking to me.
‘Friends and family told me how they’d never seen her smile so much. I missed her terribly, and wished we could go back to the way we were.’
McKenzie, who lived just a mile away from Joy’s house, murdered Joy by bludgeoning her on the back of the head with a heavy object
Joy was just 59 when she was murdered by McKenzie. Here, Joy is pictured in her late 20s
The next year, in December 2022, Josephine discovered through Facebook that Joy was engaged to Trevor.
She soon learned through her grandchildren that Joy’s man had finally left his partner, McKenzie, after a year-long affair and love triangle.
He’d chosen Joy and swiftly moved into Joy’s house – just a mile away from McKenzie’s home. Within six weeks, the couple were engaged.
Josephine said: ‘I’d been telling my grandkids that Joy was making a huge mistake. But I didn’t say anything to Joy.
‘She was already engaged and hadn’t told me the news herself as she was probably frightened I’d yell at her or her partner. I decided not to interfere.
‘I heard all about what happened through my grandkids though as they’d visit them often.’
Over the next year, the family kept hearing rumours about McKenzie being desperate to rekindle her relationship with Trevor – but Josephine still didn’t hear from Joy.
In May 2023, Josephine was at home eating dinner when she got a call from her grandson, who was frantic.
Joy on her wedding day in her early 20s. Sadly, her marriage only lasted a year; she didn’t have children
She said: ‘He told me it was Joy. Her road had been shut off with police tape leading up to her house.
‘My heart sank. He picked me up and we drove straight to Joy’s house.
‘I ran to the police, telling them I was Joy’s older sister. I begged them to tell me if she was alive.
‘They told me she was dead. In that moment, my world ended.
‘As I broke down into tears, my grandson helped me back to the car.
‘Joy’s partner, who came over to introduce himself, didn’t even seem upset.
‘He told me he’d been at work all day and Joy hadn’t answered. I was furious and kept quizzing him.’
Later that day, Josephine was told by the police that Trevor’s ex-partner, McKenzie, had been arrested.
Joy is pictured at the age of 17 with her older sister Josephine’s baby daughter Trish
Her DNA had been found under Joy’s fingernails while witnesses on the street had said they’d seen her screaming at the house.
Josephine added: ‘Then, day by day, my family and I slowly discovered what had happened.
‘Unable to cope with her partner’s rejection, Sara had showed up to the house. Her partner was at work, and Joy was alone.
‘Sara confronted her about stealing her man from her, and bludgeoned Joy 20 times on the back of her head with a heavy object. She battered her to death.
‘Neighbours heard Sara shouting “That’s my husband, that’s my man.”
‘I sobbed so much for my little sister. I knew something awful would come from this all.
‘Sara was spiteful, and what she’d done was despicable.
‘Mine and our family’s hearts were shattered. Months later, I said goodbye at her burial, I couldn’t stand how her life had been robbed from her.
‘After everything she’d pulled through in life. She was disabled, and hadn’t touched alcohol in 13 and a half years. She didn’t deserve this.’
Months later, in November 2023, Josephine, her children and her grandchildren all faced McKenzie in court.
McKenzie, who had grey curly hair, didn’t show an ounce of remorse in court.
The family discovered during the trial how she had been harassing Joy for over a year.
Joy, pictured at 17 with Josephine’s baby daughter Trish, dedicated much of her life to caring for their mother
Josephine added: ‘She’d been showing up at the house, screaming that she was a slag and a slut, and asking what Joy had that she didn’t have.
‘Two weeks before the murder, she’d tried to break in. Joy hadn’t called or told me anything.
‘I was crying, thinking how if Joy had just told me what was happening, maybe she’d still be here. I would’ve put a stop to it.
‘In court, we watched bodycam footage of Sara being questioned by police, acting completely casual with no concern.
‘After the murder, she’d gone to work as normal and even filled her car at the petrol station.
‘They couldn’t show us the real photos of Joy, as her brain was hanging out her head.’
Josephine learned that McKenzie also had an obsession with murder mysteries.
She’d purchased Luminol, a substance that can identify blood traces, and diluted her clothes in her bathtub after.
Josephine (pictured) and her children and grandchildren attended the trial of Sara McKenzie in November 2023. McKenzie was sentenced to 27 years in prison for murder and perverting the course of justice
That week, McKenzie was found guilty of murder and perverting the course of justice at Guildford Crown Court.
One month later, she was sentenced to 27 years in prison.
Josephine said: ‘She was pure evil. I wanted her to rot in her cell because nothing was going to bring my sister back.
‘We not only despised Sara but also Joy’s partner too.
‘Joy had a heart of gold and a hole has been left in my family’s hearts that can never be filled.
‘Whenever I used to feel down, Joy would always tell me to keep my pecker up.
‘So whenever I cry, missing her, I think that to myself now. I keep my pecker up, and remember her sweet, smiling face up in the sky.’