An 86-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the murder of Harry and Megan Tooze at their farmhouse in Llanharry in 1993
21:10, 18 Dec 2025Updated 21:18, 18 Dec 2025
Megan and Harry Tooze were murdered more than 30 years ago
Police have issued an update after an 86-year-old man was arrested in connection with the murder of a couple shot dead more than 30 years ago. Harry and Megan Tooze were found dead with gunshot wounds at their Ty Ar y Waun farmhouse in Llanharry on July 26, 1993.
The force commenced a forensic review of the case in 2023 and on Wednesday, December 17, detectives made an arrest in connection with the murders of Harry, 64, and Megan, 67. On Thursday evening police confirmed that the 86-year-old man has now been released on police bail.
Read the story of the Tooze family here: The shocking execution-style shootings of an elderly couple in a Welsh farmhouse and how their daughter stood by a wrongly convicted killer
South Wales Police‘s senior investigating officer, Detective Superintendent Mark Lewis, said: “While this arrest is clearly a significant development in the investigation our enquiries are very much ongoing.
“This case has affected many people over the years and our aim is to find the answers to the unanswered questions which remain about their deaths over 30 years on. Even with this passage of time I appeal to anyone who has any information about the murders to come forward and speak to police.”
The bodies of Mr and Mrs Tooze were found in a shed on their farm, hidden under carpet and buried beneath hay. They had both been shot at close range from behind in what was described as an execution.
There were indications that they knew their killer as a cooked lunch had been prepared on the couple’s best china but left uneaten.
The initial investigation focused on their daughter Cheryl’s boyfriend Jonathan Jones, who was wrongly convicted of their murder in 1995, aged 35.
The prosecution case was based on his fingerprints on a teacup. But there were questions at the time over alternative explanations for how the fingerprints had come to be on the teacup. And Cheryl stood by him and fought for his release.
Mr Jones, who went on to marry Cheryl and father a child with her, was released from prison a year later when his conviction was quashed.
The stress of the investigation and wrongful conviction reportedly had a devastating impact on Cheryl’s health, leading to long-term physical disabilities and hearing loss.
Over the decades, several reinvestigations were launched using advanced DNA techniques and exploring potential links to serial killer John Cooper, but no new suspects were charged.
Despite being one of Wales’ most notorious unsolved cases, the family criticised the police at different points in time for failing to put more resources into finding the killer.
Anyone with information about the deaths of Mr and Mrs Tooze should contact South Wales Police quoting occurrence number 2300016841. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously via https://crimestoppers-uk.org/ or on 0800 555 111.
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