Two men arrested over murder of man whose body found in woodland
Police have arrested two men on suspicion of murder after a man’s body was found in woodland.
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Officers have been appealing for information following the death of Ernest Deputat in Southampton and have now arrested two men four months after his body was found.
On Monday, a 30-year-old man was arrested in Bradford, West Yorks, and a 34-year-old man was arrested in Newham, London. Both were arrested on suspicion of murder. They have since been transferred to Southampton, where they remain in custody at this time.
Earnest’s body was sadly found on Wednesday 8 October 2025 in woodland on Southampton Common by a member of the public, close to the wildlife reserve just north of the Ornamental Lake.
Police said: “Our investigation into 45-year-old Ernest's death continues, and we remain keen to hear from anyone who has information which could help provide his family with answers about what happened. As part of our initial enquiries at the scene, there was evidence of a fire.
“So far, the investigation team have established Ernest, a Polish national, had been living off-grid and was known among the homeless community in the city.”
DCI Matt Gillooly, who is leading the investigation, said: "These arrests are an important step in our work to provide answers to Ernest's family and to the community about what happened to him, but we still need to hear from anyone who might have information which could assist us.
"We have undertaken a large-scale investigation since Ernest's body was found in October, looking to understand his movements around the time of his death and his lifestyle.
"If you have any information, not only about his tragic death but about any aspect of Ernest's life, then we want to hear from you. It may be vitally important to our investigation."
You can provide information by calling 101 or going to our website, with the case reference 44250456238.