The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Pair ‘stabbed to death’ near shop workplace
Tributes to Matalan couple as man arrested
Tributes have been paid after twoMatalan employees were allegedly stabbed to death near the city centre store where they worked.
The bodies of Zoe Morgan, 21, from Llandaff North, and Lee Simmons, 33, fromGrangetown, were discovered in Queen Street, Cardiff, at 5.50am on Wednesday.
South Wales Police arrested a 20-year-old man from Castleton, Newport, on suspicion of murder within an hour. He remains in police custody.
It is believed the suspect knew Mr Simmons and Miss Morgan, who were in a relationship. Officers are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.
Melanie Davidson, 40, was a manager at McDonald’s, where Miss Morgan worked for several years until she graduated from the University of South Wales in June.
“I’ve never met such a kind, caring, sweet, loving and funny girl in all my 22 years of employment,” she said. “She was beautiful, not just on the outside but on the inside.”
Hundreds of pounds have been donated to a JustGiving pageinmemory of Miss Morgan, which describes her as “fun, sweet and exceptionally kind and honest”.
She had recently graduated from the university with an honours degree in fashion marketing and retail design.
A spokeswoman for the university said: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Zoe, who had been a popular and wellliked student who was now doing well in herchosencareer.”
The suspect was arrested with the assistance of Gwent Police officers at an address in Castleton. The bodies ofMissMorgan and Mr Simmons were discovered just two hours before the shop was due to open at 8am.
Post-mortem examinations will take place to determine the causes of death but it is believed that both victims sustained stab wounds.
Matalan chief executive Jason Hargreaves said: “It is with great sadness that we can confirm that there was a fatal stabbing in Queen Street, Cardiff, this morning. Both of the victims worked at our Cardiff branch so understandably all of our colleagues are receiving our full support.”