A harrowing 999 call from a daughter who discovered her mother's mutilated body sparked one of Wales's most disturbing murder investigations, with new details now emerging about the horrific 2021 case.
The Gruesome Discovery
On November 21, 2021, Abigail Sheppard returned to the family home in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, to find a scene that would haunt her forever. She immediately alerted emergency services, telling the 999 operator: "I've just come home and I found my mother's body in the dining room. She's wrapped in plastic and there's blood going from the front door... it looks like someone started trying to clear it up."
Responding officers were confronted with a nightmare scenario. Detective Superintendent Darren George recalled the chilling moment they realised the extent of the violence: "The head, legs, and arms were basically missing." The situation was so unprecedented that one officer in the incident room gasped: "There's a question you never thought you'd ask as a police officer... where are the limbs?"
The Forensic Investigation
Forensics expert Jayne Roughley led her team into the blood-soaked property, where they encountered blood spatter and pieces of human tissue littered throughout the house. "It's not something you can ever prepare yourself for," she admitted, describing the scene as evidence of "multiple blows" during a violent assault.
The search for June's missing body parts became an urgent priority. DS George explained: "I know how important it was to recover the body parts for the dignity and respect of June and her family. I didn't want another member of the public finding them. Once they see it, they can't un-see it."
In a macabre twist, investigators discovered various body parts stored in bags throughout the property, including a full leg inside a Disney Princess Christmas gift bag. While a chainsaw found near the body was initially suspected as the murder weapon, forensic teams later identified a large axe hidden under a pile of bags as the actual implement used for dismemberment.
The Killer's Identity and Capture
The investigation took a dramatic turn when a local tyre yard worker reported finding "a dirty guy in the yard" who appeared to have recently dyed his hair and bore facial scratches. This suspect, dubbed "container man" by police, was identified as Luke Deeley, a 25-year-old University of South Wales art student.
Deeley, who was under the care of adult mental health services in Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board, had apparently fallen through cracks in the system. A later report noted "missed opportunities" to address concerns about his mental state and his "thoughts and actions towards women."
Police arrested Deeley on November 23, 2021, finding him sitting in a narrow alleyway in a nearby village, eating Haribo sweets. Body camera footage captured his dishevelled appearance, and he initially attempted to identify himself as "Lewis Thomas" while admitting to carrying a nunchuck.
Justice and Aftermath
Deeley pleaded guilty to manslaughter in March 2023 at Newport Crown Court and is currently detained under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act at a high-security hospital. Mr Justice Griffiths noted that Deeley had committed the "terrible" murder because of mental illness, including delusional beliefs that "there was a group of individuals out to get you."
The court heard how Deeley had discarded his cap and shoes in a garden, found an axe, and noticed the full moon before the attack. He claimed to have worn a wolf face-mask, though this was never recovered.
June's family described their world as having "imploded" after her death, remembering the 65-year-old great-grandmother as "generous" and devoted to her extended family. "If anyone had a problem, she would do anything in her power to help," they stated, "which makes it so much harder to accept Luke could be so cruel to her for no reason."
Abigail Sheppard spoke of the lasting trauma, telling the True Lives podcast: "I'll never get those images out of my head. That's something that I've got to live with now for the rest of my life."
