Human remains ‘unearthed by wildfires’ at UK beauty spot revealed as mum who vanished six years ago – as man arrested

BONES discovered at a beauty spot have been identified as a mum-of-three who vanished six years ago, with cops launching a murder probe.

Joanne Sheen, 44, was travelling from Fareham to her home city of Southampton, Hampshire, when she vanished on December 2019.

The last known sighting was on December 5, when she travelled from Fareham to Southampton by train with a friend.

She was reported missing by her family in February 2020.

Police have now arrested a 56-year-old man from Southampton on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.

It comes after a wildfire exposed a woman’s bones in West London on August 12, with cops racing to identify them.

Hampshire Police today confirmed the bones belong to Jo.

Five people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder her in 2020, but were released with no further action.

In 2023, cops searched a house in Southampton, and deployed a boat to search the Solent.

They raided more homes in the port city last year.

Cops launched a fresh probe after Jo’s bones were found on Padstow Walk, an area nicknamed The Pits, in London.

The area is close to Bedfont Lakes Country Park, with cops confirming recent fires in the area had unearthed the remains.

Police said more than 10 addresses have been searched and several water searches since Jo disappeared.

Anyone with information about her movements in either city in 2019 have been urged to contact cops, with CrimeStoppers offering a £20,000 reward.

Jo’s daughters Hayley and Layla previously described their mum as a “lovely, loving person”.

Hayley said in 2020: “You can’t imagine what it is like with a loved one, when you don’t know where they are, you don’t know if they’re okay.

“Your mind is always turning on every single possibility that could’ve happened. It’s like turmoil but every day is the same. It just starts over every day.”

A Hampshire Police spokesperson said: “As part of our investigation, we have today arrested a 56-year-old man from Southampton on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. He remains in custody at this time as our enquiries continue.

“As our investigation enters this next stage, we are working closely with our colleagues in the Metropolitan Police to establish exactly what happened to Joanne.

“Her death is being treated as murder, and we remain committed to identifying and bringing those responsible to justice.”

Detective Chief Inspector Toby Elcock added: “This is a significant development in what has been a long and complex investigation and provides us with several new lines of enquiry, which we are exploring with our dedicated team.

“While this tragic discovery is not the outcome Joanne’s family, or any of us, had hoped for, we hope the identification of her remains can at least begin to provide some answers after many years of uncertainty.

“Throughout this investigation, Joanne’s family have shown tremendous strength and dignity in the face of unimaginable circumstances, and our thoughts remain with them at this incredibly difficult time.

“As our investigation progresses, we remain committed to establishing exactly what happened to Joanne and ensuring that those responsible are held accountable.

“There may still be people who have information about Joanne’s disappearance, her movements before she went missing, or how she came to be in Feltham.

“The passage of time does not lessen the importance of that information.

“No matter how small or insignificant it may seem, we would urge anyone who may know something to come forward.

“We understand that coming forward may feel difficult, particularly if you are worried about the consequences, but we are asking you to think about the family who are left without their loved one and who are waiting for answers. Please do the right thing. If you know something, now is the time to come forward.

“We are also pleased that Crimestoppers has agreed to reinstate its £20,000 reward offer in support of our investigation. If anyone has information but does not feel comfortable speaking directly to police, I would encourage them to contact Crimestoppers anonymously.”