A second man has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder after human remains found near Feltham, south-west London, were identified as those of missing mother-of-three Joanne Sheen.
Ms Sheen, 44, disappeared on 5 December 2019 after travelling from Fareham, Hampshire, to her home city of Southampton with a friend. Her remains were discovered almost seven years later, on 12 August, after a wildfire had affected shrubland near Padstow Walk.
A member of the public found bones in the area, close to Bedfont Lakes Country Park. Extensive forensic examination and DNA testing subsequently established that they belonged to Ms Sheen.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary is leading the murder investigation after the Metropolitan Police initially began inquiries following the discovery in Feltham.
The force said a 56-year-old man from Southampton was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. He has been released on conditional bail while enquiries continue.
A second 56-year-old man, also from Southampton, was re-arrested on Sunday on the same suspicion and has likewise been bailed with conditions.
Both men were initially detained on Thursday, September 17, according to police.
Ms Sheen, known as ‘Little Jo’, was reported missing by her family in February 2020 after they had not heard from her for several months. Her daughters, Layla and Hayley, appealed for information later that year, describing the uncertainty over their mother’s whereabouts as “turmoil”.
Hayley said: “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.”
Layla described her mother as “very approachable. Full of joy and full of life”, adding that she was “really friendly and has got a bit of a spark”.
Police said Ms Sheen was believed to have been working as a sex worker in Southampton around the time she vanished. Officers searched streets, waterways and woodland in the city, as well as more than 10 addresses and numerous vessels.
The investigation generated more than 4,000 lines of enquiry and involved more than 300 statements. Five men and one woman were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder in November 2020, but all were released with no further action by late 2021 because of a lack of evidence.
Detective Chief Inspector Toby Elcock, of the major crime team, said the latest arrests were “a significant development” in a long and complex investigation.
He said identifying Ms Sheen’s remains could “at least begin to provide some answers after many years of uncertainty”, adding that police remained committed to establishing what happened and ensuring those responsible were held accountable.
Detectives are appealing for information about Ms Sheen’s disappearance, her movements before she went missing and how she came to be in Feltham.
A £20,000 reward has been reinstated by Crimestoppers for information provided anonymously. Police said the remains were found after a grass fire on 5 August damaged about two hectares of shrubland in the area, with four fire engines and around 25 firefighters attending.
