MODERN forensic techniques could hold the key to solving the murders of a young mother and her two children, who died in a blaze 30 years ago.
Diane Jones, 21, and her daughters Shauna, two, and Sarah-Jane, one, were killed in the fire in the Gurnos Estate, Merthyr Tydfil, after petrol was poured through their letterbox.
PADiane, 21, and her two daughters, Shauna, 2, and Sarah-Jane, 1, who died nearly 30 years ago[/caption]
Media WalesThe house on the Gurnos Estate where Diane Jones and her daughters were killed in an arson attack[/caption]
AthenaDiane Jones holding Sarah Jane before they died in a house fire[/caption]
Two women were found guilty of arson in 1997 but later had their convictions quashed.
Nearly three decades on, the tragic murders remain unsolved.
But now, South Wales Police hope advances in forensic technology could provide a long-awaited breakthrough in the case.
The family were found dead in the upstairs bedroom of their three-bedroom end-of-terrace house on the Gurnos estate on October 11 1995.
Ms Jones’ sister Mary Jones has described how her life was “shattered into a million pieces” after the tragedy.
Mary said her father, John, took his own life in 2003 after struggling with the loss of his daughter and granddaughters.
Diane’s mother Myra has also died without getting to see justice.
Mary said: “It has been 30 years but as a family we are still living this nightmare as if it only happened yesterday.
“We didn’t just lose a sister and our nieces, we also lost our parents.
“It absolutely broke their hearts and they were never the same.
“As a family we will never give up fighting for justice.
“My mum and dad didn’t get to see justice but I’m hoping I will for them.”
Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Davies, from South Wales Police, said the new forensic methods “were not available previously”.
He said: “At the time, this tragic case which claimed the innocent lives of a mother and her two children sent shockwaves through Gurnos and has cast a shadow over the community ever since.
“Diane’s family have been left without answers for decades and have suffered immeasurably as a result.
“Officers re-examining this case are hopeful that new forensic technology and techniques which were not available previously will present opportunities to progress the investigation.
“Our hope is that we can uncover new evidence which will give us the breakthrough we need to find who was responsible.”
The case originally saw Annette Hewins wrongly jailed in 1997.
But her conviction was quashed in 1999 after she had served two-and-a-half years of a 13-year sentence.
She was freed on appeal in 1999, but the consequences on the innocent mum’s life were catastrophic.
After becoming a heroin addict in prison, Annette sadly struggled with mental health issues and died aged just 51, in February 2017.
A balloon release in in memory of Diane, Shauna and Sarah-Jane will be held at 3pm on Saturday at the family memorial stone on the Gurnos estate.
PADiane’s two daughters, Sarah-Jane, 1, and Shauna, 2, who tragically died[/caption]
AthenaRelatives and friends release balloons in memory of Diane, Shauna and Sarah Jane, years later[/caption]
AthenaFlowers and tributes left outside the house where the triple tragedy happened at the time[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
