Human remains found on a patio in a Welsh mining village have been identified as those of John Sabine, a Korean War veteran and accountant, whose wife has been named as the main suspect in his murder.
The discovery was made last November when Lee Sabine's friend Michelle James and another companion decided to open a large grey package wrapped in 41 layers of plastic on the patio of their block of flats in Beddau, Rhondda. They had expected to find a medical skeleton, but instead uncovered a decomposing body with a well-preserved skull. Police were called and a murder inquiry was launched after a pathologist found evidence of a blow to the back of the head.
Initial suspicion fell on Ms James, who was arrested and held for 48 hours before being released without charge. Detectives then established that a John Sabine had been registered at the same address under a joint tenancy signed in February 1997. He had registered with a local GP that year and ordered a repeat prescription in April, but it was never picked up. The body was clothed in pyjamas bearing a St Michael label, a brand last used by Marks & Spencer in 2000.
A breakthrough came on 11 December when a relative provided a DNA sample that matched the remains. A postmortem concluded that Mr Sabine died from blunt trauma to the head. His wife, Lee, a former nightclub singer who had lived in the village for 18 years, was named as the main suspect. She had died of cancer a month before the discovery.
Residents of Beddau, a close-knit community where serious crime is rare, expressed shock that the woman known for summer barbecues and tarot card readings could have been involved in such a killing. The investigation continues.
