A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of a chef whose body was discovered in a derelict Shropshire building earlier this year.
Court Appearance and Pleas Entered
Adam Rowson, aged 26, stood in the dock at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, 18 December. Wearing a grey tracksuit, he spoke only to confirm his identity and enter his pleas to the charges against him.
Rowson formally denied murdering 45-year-old chef Alexis De Naray in June. He also pleaded not guilty to seven separate counts of fraud. These fraud charges are related to the alleged use of Mr De Naray's bank card.
Trial Date Set for 2026
The court confirmed that Rowson will stand trial at Stafford Crown Court. The proceedings are scheduled to begin on 23 March next year and are anticipated to last for approximately three weeks.
Rowson, who is of no fixed address, was remanded into custody following the short hearing. He is next due to appear before the court for a pre-trial hearing on 19 January 2026.
Discovery of the Body
The case began when West Mercia Police launched a murder investigation in late June. Officers were called to a disused building near the Shelton Water Tower in Shrewsbury at around 11.50am on 27 June.
It was there that the body of Alexis De Naray was found. Mr De Naray was a 45-year-old local man from Shrewsbury.
The police investigation led to the arrest and subsequent charging of Adam Rowson, who now awaits trial for the alleged crimes.
