Second man arrested for murder of Joanne Sheen, whose remains were found in Feltham
A second man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering Joanne Sheen, a mother-of-three from Fareham whose remains were uncovered after a wildfire in west London.
Second murder arrest over Feltham remains identified as missing Hampshire mother
A second man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering Joanne Sheen, a mother-of-three from Fareham, Hampshire, whose skeletal remains were discovered in west London following a wildfire, lbc.co.uk reports.
Sheen was last seen in December 2019 as she travelled toward her home city of Southampton. Her family reported her missing in February 2020. Her remains were found near Padstow Walk in Feltham, south-west London, after a blaze swept through the area on 12 August.
The Metropolitan Police initially opened a murder investigation after bones, believed to belong to a woman aged between 25 and 45, were uncovered. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary subsequently took over the case once the remains were formally identified as Sheen's through extensive forensic examination and DNA testing.
A 56-year-old man from Southampton was arrested last week on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and released on conditional bail. Police have since confirmed that a second 56-year-old man from Southampton was re-arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and further arrested on suspicion of murder. He has also been released on conditional bail. Both men were detained on Thursday 17 September.
Detective Chief Inspector Toby Elcock, from the major crime team, described the identification of Sheen's remains as "a significant development in what has been a long and complex investigation."
"While this tragic discovery is not the outcome Joanne's family, or any of us, had hoped for, we hope the identification of her remains can at least begin to provide some answers after many years of uncertainty," Elcock said.
A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesperson stated that more than 4,000 lines of enquiry have been raised, over 300 statements taken, and detailed searches carried out at more than 10 addresses and on numerous vessels. Specialist teams have also searched waterways and woodland around Southampton.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed the remains were found by a member of the public after nearby land was affected by the wildfire. The site is close to Bedfont Lakes Country Park.
Elcock appealed directly to anyone with information about Sheen's disappearance or her movements in the period before she went missing. "There may still be people who have information about Joanne's disappearance, her movements before she went missing, or how she came to be in Feltham," he said. "The passage of time does not lessen the importance of that information. No matter how small or insignificant it may seem, we would urge anyone who may know something to come forward."
He also announced that Crimestoppers has reinstated a £20,000 reward in support of the investigation. Those unwilling to speak directly to police can contact Crimestoppers anonymously.
Source: Sky News