Joanne Sheen's remains identified after London wildfire discovery

Human remains discovered in woodland near Feltham, south-west London, following a recent wildfire have been identified as Joanne Sheen, a mother-of-three who disappeared in December 2019.

The remains were found on August 12 near Padstow Walk after a blaze damaged approximately two hectares of shrubland at Bedfont Pits. Following forensic and DNA testing, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirmed the identity of the remains, which were previously part of a long-running missing person case.

A 56-year-old man from Southampton has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and remains in police custody. While five people were arrested in 2020 in connection with her disappearance, no charges were filed at that time. Detectives have described the discovery as a significant development that has opened several new lines of enquiry in the murder investigation.