Mum of two killed by father-in-law after school run
Sophie Evans, a mother of two, was killed by her father-in-law Richard Jones shortly after returning from the school run. The court heard details about her death and Jones' background.
A "beautiful and amazing" mum-of-two, Sophie Evans, aged 30, was brutally killed by her father-in-law, Richard Jones, aged 50, after returning home from the school run, a court was informed.
On July 5, 2024, Ms Evans was found dead in her home in Carmarthenshire, Wales, following a "sustained attack." Jones has admitted to manslaughter with diminished responsibility but has denied murdering her, according to reports.
The court heard that Ms Evans, who had just come out of the shower and was in a bathrobe, welcomed Jones into her home to assist with some household tasks, including fixing the drains.
During the opening of the prosecution case, Mike Jones KC explained that after dropping off her two children at school, Ms Evans was attacked shortly after letting Jones into her house.
The jury was shown footage from a Ring doorbell showing Jones arriving at the home at 9:34 am. Following this, Ms Evans made several calls to her father, but he received no response when he called back at 9:39 am.
Jones left the house at 10 am and was later seen purchasing food at a bakery before returning home, where he was captured on CCTV.
Ms Evans suffered multiple injuries, including a neck fracture and blunt force trauma, ultimately dying from being strangled with "forceful and sustained pressure" to her neck.
A text conversation between Jones and his ex-partner revealed his anger, with him referring to his son and Ms Evans as "scamming thieves." After receiving this message, his ex-partner contacted the police, leading to their arrival at the house at 5:23 pm, where they discovered Ms Evans' body.
Jones was arrested later that night. A notepad found in his car contained a message stating he felt "scammed" by his son and dealt with it himself.
Mr Jones KC emphasized that Jones had "lost his temper" after feeling wronged. Ms Evans had moved into their home while Jones' son was in jail facing charges, and he claimed he was "duped" into signing a document regarding the mortgage.
In the days prior to her death, Jones had made various internet searches relating to legal issues about paternity fraud and mortgages.
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