Body in car was murder

Body in car was murder

Mr Bennet lived with his partner and son in St Mellons

Detectives have now confirmed that the death of a man found in the back seat of his burning car, was murder.

In a press conference on Wednesday, South Wales Police revealed that unemployed chef Derek Bennett, 41, had been murdered with a blunt instrument and had been hit on the head several times.

His body was found in the back of his own grey Renault Laguna -which had been set on fire - parked outside the Royal British Legion Club in the Whitchurch area of Cardiff on Monday night.

"This is a nasty crime, but I can't tell you what the motive is yet," Detective Superintendent Martyn Lloyd-Evans, although he did confirmed one line of inquiry was possible links with drugs.

Mr Lloyd-Evans went on to say said that the murderers had not done a very good job in concealing their crime.

They had not been successful in there attempt to burn out the car and had left a lot of forensic evidence, he added.

The killers failed to burn out the car

It is believed Mr Bennett was murdered at another location before the body was left in the car at the Royal British Legion Club car park - near the Victoria fish-and-chip shop, where it had also been parked earlier on Monday evening.

Fifty officers have been assigned to the murder inquiry, and Mr Lloyd-Evans said they were already following a number of leads.

Mr Bennett lived with his partner, his own two-year-old son, and his partner's three children in the St Mellons area of Cardiff.

"The family are very devastated," said Mr Lloyd-Evans. "It has been a complete shock. They don't know why he has been murdered."

He added that Mr Bennett was known to the police and that they were considering the possibility that the murder was drug-related.

Lloyd Evans is following numerous leads

He said he was last seen by his partner on Friday - but she was not particularly concerned when he did not return home at the weekend as he often went away for similar periods.

The dead man had been a chef in the merchant navy and later worked as a chef in Cardiff city centre, but had been unemployed for about two years.

He was a keen Cardiff City fan and when his body was found he was wearing a Bluebirds' shirt.

He was also wearing blue jeans and a red rugby shirt with a blue stripe across the chest.

The results of a post mortem examination carried out on Tuesday have not yet been released.

Police are appealing for anyone who saw the car in the car park on Monday night, or spotted people nearby, to contact them at Fairwater police station on 029 20571530.