.svg)
A 56-year-old man from Southampton has been rearrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and subsequently arrested on suspicion of murder after human remains found in south-west London were identified as those of missing mother-of-three Joanne Sheen.
Ms Sheen, who was 44 when she disappeared, was last seen on 5 December 2019 after travelling from Fareham to Southampton with a friend. Her family reported her missing in February 2020, prompting a major investigation by Hampshire Police.
The remains were discovered on 12 August in shrubland at Padstow Walk, Feltham, after a fire had damaged part of the area several days earlier. The Metropolitan Police initially investigated the discovery before the case was transferred to Hampshire Police following the identification of the remains.
The discovery marks a significant development in a case that had remained unresolved since Sheen disappeared.
The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to Padstow Walk on 12 August after a member of the public found bones in an area of shrubland that had been affected by fire.
London Fire Brigade had attended a fire at nearby Bedfont Pits on 5 August. The blaze damaged approximately two hectares of shrubland close to Bedfont Lakes Country Park.
Following forensic examination and identification procedures, police established that the human remains belonged to Joanne Sheen.
Daily Dazzling Dawn understands that detectives have now returned to the earlier investigation as they examine the circumstances surrounding Sheen’s death and how her remains came to be located in Feltham.
The latest police action involves two men, both aged 56 and from Southampton.
One man, who had previously been arrested in connection with the investigation in 2020, was rearrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and later arrested on suspicion of murder. He has since been released on conditional bail.
A second 56-year-old man from Southampton was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and was also released on bail.
The arrests do not mean either man has been charged with an offence. Police enquiries remain ongoing, and the circumstances surrounding Sheen’s disappearance and death have yet to be established publicly.
Sheen’s disappearance triggered an extensive investigation involving Hampshire Police and other agencies.
Police said the original investigation generated more than 4,000 lines of inquiry and involved taking more than 300 statements. Officers also carried out detailed searches at more than 10 addresses, using a number of vessels as part of their efforts to locate evidence.
Several people were arrested in 2020 on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, but no one was charged. The investigation subsequently remained unsolved.
At the time of her disappearance, officers said Sheen had no fixed address. She did not own a vehicle and did not have a bank account, circumstances which police said presented additional challenges when attempting to trace her movements.
Her family reported her missing approximately two months after she was last seen, beginning a search that would continue for more than six years before the discovery of the remains.
The latest breakthrough followed the fire at Bedfont Pits earlier this month.
The blaze affected a substantial area of shrubland near Bedfont Lakes Country Park. After the fire, a member of the public discovered what appeared to be human remains at the site.
Police cordoned off the area while forensic officers examined the scene. Temporary fencing and tents were erected as investigators worked to establish the identity of the remains and determine how they came to be at the location.
The identification of Sheen has now brought certainty to one part of the long-running investigation, but important questions about the events leading to her death remain under examination.
Detectives from London initially dealt with the discovery at Padstow Walk before handing the investigation to Hampshire Police after the remains were identified as Sheen’s.
The latest arrests represent a renewed phase of an investigation that began after Sheen was last seen travelling between Fareham and Southampton in December 2019.
Police enquiries are continuing. The men arrested in connection with the case remain on bail, and no charges have been announced.
Daily Dazzling Dawn will continue to follow developments as investigators establish the circumstances surrounding Joanne Sheen’s disappearance and the discovery of her remains.
