Human remains belonging to Hampshire mum-of-three who disappeared in 2019 discovered in London

Detectives investigating the disappearance of a Hampshire mum-of-three have identified have found human remains that have been formally identified as belonging to her.

Joanne Sheen, from Southampton, was last seen in December 2019 when she travelled from Fareham to Southampton with a friend. Her disappearance sparked a major police investigation to locate her, with more than 4000 lines of enquiries raised.

On August 12 of this year, Metropolitan Police officers discovered human remains in shrubland, in Feltham, west London, which have now been confirmed are those of the mum following extensive forensic examination and DNA testing.

As part of the long and complex investigation, police today (September 17) arrested a 56-year-old man from Southampton on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. He remains in custody at this time while enquiries continue.

The death of Joanne, who was 44 when she went missing, is being treated as a murder, with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary working alongside the Metropolitan Police to establish what happened.

In 2020, five people were arrested as part of a murder probe but all were released with no further action taken by police.

Detective Chief Inspector Toby Elcock, from the Major Crime Team, said: "This is a significant development in what has been a long and complex investigation and provides us with several new lines of enquiry, which we are exploring with our dedicated team.

"While this tragic discovery is not the outcome Joanne's family, or any of us, had hoped for, we hope the identification of her remains can at least begin to provide some answers after many years of uncertainty.

"Throughout this investigation, Joanne's family have shown tremendous strength and dignity in the face of unimaginable circumstances, and our thoughts remain with them at this incredibly difficult time.

"As our investigation progresses, we remain committed to establishing exactly what happened to Joanne and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable. There may still be people who have information about Joanne's disappearance, her movements before she went missing, or how she came to be in Feltham.

"The passage of time does not lessen the importance of that information. No matter how small or insignificant it may seem, we would urge anyone who may know something to come forward.”

During the investigation, which has been ongoing for more than six years, over 300 statements have taken and detailed searches of more than 10 addresses and numerous water vessels have been undertaken.

Detectives are actively pursuing all available lines of enquiry and are keen to hear from anyone who may have information about Joanne's movements in Southampton and the surrounding area in late 2019, as well as anyone with information about her movements in London, particularly in and around Feltham/Hounslow, or information that could help establish how she came to be there.

DCI Elcock added: “We understand that coming forward may feel difficult, particularly if you are worried about the consequences but we are asking you to think about the family who are left without their loved one and who are waiting for answers. Please do the right thing. If you know something, now is the time to come forward.

"We are also pleased that Crimestoppers has agreed to reinstate its £20,000 reward offer in support of our investigation. If anyone has information but does not feel comfortable speaking directly to police, I would encourage them to contact Crimestoppers anonymously."

Beth Simpson, regional manager at the independent charity Crimestoppers, said: "Our thoughts are very much with Joanne's family and friends at this time. They deserve to know the truth about what happened.

“Our charity is here for anyone who feels unable to contact police directly but has information they now want to share anonymously and without comeback. We know it can be difficult speaking up about crime especially because of fear of reprisals, revenge or due to closeness to the individuals involved.

“Crimestoppers is a charity, we are independent and never ask for your details. Contact us online at crimestoppers-uk.org or call our UK Contact Centre on 0800 555 111."

Anyone with information is asked to contact 101, quoting Operation Blackboard or reference 44200068330

To be eligible for the reward and to stay completely anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111