£10,000 MURDER REWARD
POLICE INVESTIGATING MYSTERY DEATH OF SOUTH WALES MAN REVEAL FIVE-FIGURE REWARD FOR INFORMATION
A REWARD of up to £10,000 is being offered after the body of a young dad was found a month after he went missing.
The body of Jamie John Perkins, 41, was found on November 1 in Gilfach Goch in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
He had been missing from Tonyrefail since October 8.
In an appeal yesterday, the officer leading the investigation stressed that police believe the community hold vital information surrounding his death.
Police are appealing for information on Jamie’s movements from October 8, particularly about how he came about his death.
Crimestoppers has offered a reward of up to £10,000 with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible.
South Wales Police said they believe Mr Perkins was assaulted and then left in a culvert which is where his body was then found.
Officers say they have made four arrests in the investigation, but all have been released without charge.
DCI Gareth Morgan today made a statement near to where Jamie was found: “It’s now two months since Jamie Perkins was reported missing and South Wales Police is still appealing for your help in the ongoing investigation into his murder.”
Jamie, who was living in the Waterton Hotel, was last seen in the Heol Y Mynydd area of Gilfach Goch on October 12.
He was found dead at an area known locally as Bog Lane, which runs between the Griffin Inn Pub and the Ffordd Llanbad estate.
DCI Morgan said: “Injuries suggest that Jamie had been assaulted. While arrests have been made in connection with his death, no person has been charged and further information is required to help us find out what happened to Jamie and the reasons behind it.
“I strongly believe there are members of the community who hold vital information that will assist us in bringing the offenders to justice.
“No one deserves to be left as he was. Jamie was a father to a young son and his family continue to seek answers as they try to come to terms with their loss.”
A 33-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of murder in October in connection with Mr Perkins’ disappearance and were released under investigation.
Police said a further two people have since been arrested but have been released under investigation.
DCI Morgan said that officers working with “hours and hours” of CCTV footage and are awaiting forensic results.
“People may believe that this crime has already been solved and I can assure them it hasn’t.
“No person has been charged, but we really are appealing for their help.
“I do believe there are people in the community, it’s a small, tight, close knit community in Gilfach Goch and Tonyrefail and Jamie was well known, and I really believe there are people who know what happened to him.
DCI Morgan said: “Jamie did have a chaotic lifestyle and he didn’t always take the right decisions in life, but I think if you look at the circumstances of how he’s been found and the fact it does appear he was assaulted, no one can deserve to end like this.
“He has got a family who love him and miss him very much and I would ask the community to bear this in mind.”
Crimestoppers’ manager for Wales Ella Rabaiotti said: “Jamie had a young son, who will now have to grow up without his father.
“He will be sorely missed by his family, including his father and young son.
“The circumstances of how he was found are deeply distressing for his family.
“There are a lot of questions which need answering surrounding Jamie’s murder and I am asking local people to speak up and tell us what you know.
People are asked to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk. org.
Crimestoppers said the reward will only qualify if information is passed through their contact number or via their online form. Information passed directly to police will not qualify.