Review into 1976 double death nearing end, say police

Three years after a forensic review was launched into the suspicious death of two siblings in 1976, a family member says he's disappointed that he hasn't been kept up to speed with any progress.

Dyfed-Powys Police launched Operation Hallam in October 2022 to use modern techniques to look at material held over the deaths of Martha and Griff Thomas at Ffynnon Samson, Llangolman, Pembrokeshire.

Huw Absalom said family members had received "no information" about the scope of Operation Hallam and what exhibits were being examined.

Chief Constable Ifan Charles said he understood the frustrations but police were nearing the end of the review and more information would be available in the near future.

An inquest in 1977 found Martha, 70, was unlawfully killed, and an open verdict was returned in the case of Griff Thomas who was 73.

After initially treating their deaths as a double murder, the man leading the investigation, Det Ch Supt Pat Malloy decided in January 1977 that Griff had "probably" killed his sister - possibly by hitting her over the head with a kitchen chair before starting a fire in which he lay down and died.

Family members and people who knew the elderly chapel-going siblings have never accepted that explanation, and believe they were both murdered.

Huw Absalom, who is related to the siblings, was 15 when they died.

He told BBC-produced Newyddion S4C he was grateful to police for re-examining the case, but claimed he had not been told how Operation Hallam was progressing.

"They've said that they'll keep in touch, and they haven't. That's disappointing.

"I don't expect a day-by-day update, but something would have been nice. It wouldn't do any harm to have a close family meeting and get our viewpoint across.

"They haven't talked to us about how we feel or what information we could give the investigation."

Mr Absalom said family members haven't been told what items police were examining and the true scope of the review.

He said: "Nothing. Zero. I know some 150 items were taken from the house at the time. I have heard a lot of the items have gone missing.

"I don't know how many they've got left or what they're testing or nothing."

Mr Absalom said he will continue to campaign.

"They lived a happy, quiet life in Llangolman," he said.

"They were simple little farmers and lived a simple life."

Two forensic experts, who looked at the case recently for S4C's Byd ar Bedwar programme, said there was reason to believe another person may have been involved in the deaths.

Hefin Wyn, editor of community newspaper Clebran, has campaigned for the case to be reopened. He says he's "frustrated" that the review is still ongoing.

"I do believe enough information has come forward to prove that the evidence at the time was not strong enough to suggest Griff had actually killed his sister," he said.

"The inquest should be reopened and Griff should be pardoned. He had no reason to kill his sister. He's an innocent man.

"The people of Llangolman want to know that he was officially innocent."

The new Chief Constable of Dyfed Powys Police, Ifan Charles, said police had worked "exceptionally hard to understand all the circumstances of this tragic incident".

"It's important that we conduct the review thoroughly so that we're getting the right answers for the family and the community," he said.

"I understand there are concerns around the police response and around the circumstances of the deaths.

"What I think is important is that we allow the investigation and the forensic inquiry to continue and then we'll be in a position to continue to consult with the coroner and decided on the next steps."