Wales woman murdered in 'act of cannibalism' at hostel for homeless

Murder suspect Matthew Williams died after being arrested for attacking Cerys Marie Yemm

Detectives are investigating the murder of a woman amid claims that the suspected killer was trying to eat her.

The 22-year-old woman is known to have been bitten and suffered severe facial injuries in the incident at a hostel for homeless people in south Wales.

But some neighbours of the hostel have also claimed that the suspected attacker, who died after police fired a Taser at him, subjected the woman to an act of cannibalism.

Gwent police are refusing to comment on the claims. However, a source with knowledge of the investigation said cannibalism was now a line of inquiry.

The police have not named either the man or woman, who both died at the Sirhowy Arms hotel in the village of Argoed, but the man has been named locally as 34-year-old Matthew Williams, who goes by the nickname Fifi. He is understood to have been recently released from prison where he had been held for attacking a woman.

Lyn Beasley, who lives close to the hotel, said: "He went Hannibal Lecter on the woman." A security guard at the hotel, who did not want to be named, also claimed the woman had been the victim of a cannibalistic attack.

Neighbours of the hostel claimed that - against the rules - the man had sneaked the victim back to his room for a drink. They said the police were called in the early hours of Thursday morning after security staff burst into the bedroom because the man was refusing to answer his door.

Residents in Argoed, a village near Blackwood in Caerphilly, expressed horror. Local councillor and Caerphilly council deputy mayor Leon Gardiner said: "Everyone is totally shocked. Argoed is a lovely place to live."

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Most neighbours said the hostel, which puts up homeless people on behalf of Caerphilly council, did not cause too much trouble in the village. Some said they were sometimes disturbed by residents drinking and smoking in the nearby woods and occasionally came across people sleeping rough in hedgerows because they could not get a bed.

One neighbour said: "We don't have too many problems. The people who live there are not allowed to drink or smoke in the hotel so they go down to the woods to do it. Sometimes there are police vans outside if there has been a fight or something but despite that it's still a quiet street."

Gwent police said it was treating the death of the woman as murder. It immediately referred the use of the Taser to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), which is investigating.

A Gwent police spokeswoman said: "At 1.23am [on Thursday] we were called to an incident at the Sirhowy Arms hotel where it was reported that a man was attacking a woman. On arrival both the male and female were still at the location. A Taser was discharged and a man was arrested.

"The woman was located with injuries and has since been pronounced deceased. Whilst under arrest, the man became unresponsive. Officers and paramedics administered first aid but he has since been pronounced deceased. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident, and an investigation is under way."

Before it was turned into a hostel, the Sirhowy Arms was popular with walkers and cyclists. It was also a thriving local pub.

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