This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/south_west/7509415.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Murder motive eludes detectives | Murder motive eludes detectives |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Detectives say they still have no idea why a 17-year-old youth battered to death a woman out walking her dog in Carmarthenshire. | Detectives say they still have no idea why a 17-year-old youth battered to death a woman out walking her dog in Carmarthenshire. |
| Adrian Jones, 17, will be sentenced for murdering Kelly Hyde, 24, at Swansea Crown Court on Friday. | Adrian Jones, 17, will be sentenced for murdering Kelly Hyde, 24, at Swansea Crown Court on Friday. |
| The trainee hairdresser, who had been walking on a bridle path, was beaten with a bar bell. | The trainee hairdresser, who had been walking on a bridle path, was beaten with a bar bell. |
| Detective Superintendent Simon Powell said a motive for the brutal murder near Ammanford still eluded his team. | Detective Superintendent Simon Powell said a motive for the brutal murder near Ammanford still eluded his team. |
| A judge will sentence Jones at Swansea Crown Court on Friday after he was convicted of Kelly's murder in 2007. | A judge will sentence Jones at Swansea Crown Court on Friday after he was convicted of Kelly's murder in 2007. |
| Initially the case was officially a missing person investigation when she failed to return home on 27 September. | Initially the case was officially a missing person investigation when she failed to return home on 27 September. |
| The 24-year-old trainee hairdresser and barmaid had dropped off her car for an MOT at a garage in Tycoch and decided to walk back home to Ammanford with her whippet dog Scrappy. | The 24-year-old trainee hairdresser and barmaid had dropped off her car for an MOT at a garage in Tycoch and decided to walk back home to Ammanford with her whippet dog Scrappy. |
| When it became apparent not all was well her family called police. | When it became apparent not all was well her family called police. |
| Officers along with mountain rescue teams began a major operation to locate her. | Officers along with mountain rescue teams began a major operation to locate her. |
| Before her battered body was found three days later, face down in a stream close to the bridle path where she was attacked, Mr Powell had been brought in to lead the investigation. | Before her battered body was found three days later, face down in a stream close to the bridle path where she was attacked, Mr Powell had been brought in to lead the investigation. |
| I was fearing the worst but hoping for a safe return Detective Superintendent Simon Powell | I was fearing the worst but hoping for a safe return Detective Superintendent Simon Powell |
| He told BBC Wales: "When I assumed charge, Kelly was still a missing person and at that time all efforts were being made to locate her safe and well. | He told BBC Wales: "When I assumed charge, Kelly was still a missing person and at that time all efforts were being made to locate her safe and well. |
| "However, I was very concerned by the fact that it was totally out of character for Kelly to be missing at that stage. | "However, I was very concerned by the fact that it was totally out of character for Kelly to be missing at that stage. |
| "The facts of the case we were presented with did cause serious concerns for me - we set-up a full scale investigation while Kelly was missing. | "The facts of the case we were presented with did cause serious concerns for me - we set-up a full scale investigation while Kelly was missing. |
| "I was fearing the worst but hoping for a safe return." | "I was fearing the worst but hoping for a safe return." |
| During the trial at Swansea Crown Court the prosecution said Jones, who did not know Ms Hyde, attacked her as she made her way along the bridle path with Scrappy. | |
| He beat her around the head with a bar bell - which was recovered by police who found a match in his bedroom. | He beat her around the head with a bar bell - which was recovered by police who found a match in his bedroom. |
| Witnesses placed Jones close to the scene at the time Ms Hyde was killed, and Scrappy's blood-soaked dog lead was found in the attic of his home. | Witnesses placed Jones close to the scene at the time Ms Hyde was killed, and Scrappy's blood-soaked dog lead was found in the attic of his home. |
| The police hope Adrian Jones will one day reveal his motive | The police hope Adrian Jones will one day reveal his motive |
| Ms Hyde's blood DNA was found on his trainers and other items of clothing. | Ms Hyde's blood DNA was found on his trainers and other items of clothing. |
| Mr Powell said: "This appeared to be a totally random attack on a young girl who was simply walking her dog in Ammanford during the early morning. | Mr Powell said: "This appeared to be a totally random attack on a young girl who was simply walking her dog in Ammanford during the early morning. |
| "These sorts of murders are extremely rare in Dyfed-Powys. | "These sorts of murders are extremely rare in Dyfed-Powys. |
| "Despite this we caught the offender very quickly following the discovery of Kelly's body." | "Despite this we caught the offender very quickly following the discovery of Kelly's body." |
| Mr Powell said specialists were brought in from outside the Dyfed-Powys force to assist. | Mr Powell said specialists were brought in from outside the Dyfed-Powys force to assist. |
| A reconstruction of Ms Hyde's last known movements was held for the media in an attempt to jog peoples' memories. | A reconstruction of Ms Hyde's last known movements was held for the media in an attempt to jog peoples' memories. |
| Three days after the discovery of her body, police raided Jones's home. | Three days after the discovery of her body, police raided Jones's home. |
| "He totally denied his involvement in the murder of Kelly Hyde," said Mr Powell. | "He totally denied his involvement in the murder of Kelly Hyde," said Mr Powell. |
| But police were soon sure they had the killer. | But police were soon sure they had the killer. |
| "During his interviews he was very controlled with the answers he was giving and he was certainly not forthcoming with significant facts we would have expected him to give." | "During his interviews he was very controlled with the answers he was giving and he was certainly not forthcoming with significant facts we would have expected him to give." |
| Photographs of the evidence were released by Dyfed-Powys Police | Photographs of the evidence were released by Dyfed-Powys Police |
| Jones was subsequently charged, and following a trial that has lasted just over three weeks was convicted of murder. | Jones was subsequently charged, and following a trial that has lasted just over three weeks was convicted of murder. |
| But the motive behind the killing remains a mystery. | But the motive behind the killing remains a mystery. |
| During the trial Ms Hyde was described as a popular and well-liked young woman. | During the trial Ms Hyde was described as a popular and well-liked young woman. |
| Having moved to the area with her family when still a child, she left school at 16. | Having moved to the area with her family when still a child, she left school at 16. |
| She had jobs working for Leekes department store at Cross Hands, a riding stables, a hairdressers and at a Wetherspoon's pub in Llanelli. | She had jobs working for Leekes department store at Cross Hands, a riding stables, a hairdressers and at a Wetherspoon's pub in Llanelli. |
| "She excelled at art and had a wide range of other interests, including horse riding," said prosecutor Patrick Harrington QC. | "She excelled at art and had a wide range of other interests, including horse riding," said prosecutor Patrick Harrington QC. |
| Mr Powell said: "Despite extensive investigation we are no nearer now to establishing a motive to this horrific murder than when the investigation first started. | Mr Powell said: "Despite extensive investigation we are no nearer now to establishing a motive to this horrific murder than when the investigation first started. |
| "This is one of the continuous questions we have asked ourselves as investigators | "This is one of the continuous questions we have asked ourselves as investigators |
| "The only person who knows the answer to that question is the defendant himself." | "The only person who knows the answer to that question is the defendant himself." |
| Mr Powell said he hoped one day Jones would provide the answer. | Mr Powell said he hoped one day Jones would provide the answer. |
| "This would clearly assist in giving some closure to the family," he said. | "This would clearly assist in giving some closure to the family," he said. |