The chilling moment a dad sparks a cigarette and strolls away from a house where he brutally murdered his son’s girlfriend has been revealed.
Richard Jones, 50, was jailed for a minimum of 20 years yesterday for the heartless killing of his son’s partner, 30-year-old Sophie Evans.
Swansea Crown Court heard how Ms Evans was found face down at her Llanelli home tied to a cupboard by a towel around her neck in July 2024.
Now, footage of the murderer arriving at and leaving the home has been revealed following his sentencing.
In the video captured by a doorbell camera, Jones can be seen knocking on the home’s front door before turning and checking the road just moments before committing his heinous crime.
As he leaves, Jones, from Camarthenshire, is filmed strolling away from the property while smoking a cigarette.
The court heard yesterday how the dad had killed his son’s partner after being led to believe the pair had been scamming him.
Footage of the murderer (pictured) arriving at and leaving the home has been revealed following his sentencing
Richard Jones is seen knocking on the home’s front door before turning and checking the road just moments before committing his heinous crime
As he leaves, Jones is filmed strolling away from the property while smoking a cigarette
On the day of the attack, Ms Evans had returned home from dropping off her two children at school and was wearing just a towel – having showered – when Jones arrived.
After the murder, Jones left the home to casually order a new debit card at his bank before buying a custard slice for his mother.
He later contacted his ex-partner and told her he had ‘sorted’ the problem he had with Ms Evans – his son Jamie Davies’s girlfriend – and had ‘erased’ it.
Mr Davies gave a statement at court yesterday saying ‘his life has not been the same’ since his father murdered his partner.
‘Sophie was the most beautiful and caring person I could ever have asked for,’ he explained.
‘What Richard has done is truly unforgivable. He has ruined my future and taken away my future wife.
‘Sophie and I trusted Richard. I didn’t think for one minute he was capable of harming Sophie – yet alone murdering her.
‘The thought of having to live my life without Sophie causes me extreme pain and heartache.’
Jones believed he had been duped into signing a tenancy agreement for Ms Evans’s home, and was worried about a housing benefit claim she had made.
In psychiatric interviews after his arrest, the convict said he thought he had been ‘tricked’ out of the deeds for his mother’s house by his son and his partner.
Sophie Evans (pictured), from Llanelli, Wales, was found lying face down on her kitchen floor
Richard Jones who murdered his son’s girlfriend after believing she was trying to scam him and who has been jailed at Swansea Crown Court for at least 20 years
Michael Jones KC, prosecuting, had told the jury: ‘Whatever happened in that house when he visited her that morning, cannot be told to us by Sophie Evans.
‘What we do know is that, in her house, that morning, this defendant physically and repeatedly attacked Sophie before strangling her to death.
‘The defendant, having attacked Sophie and killed her, drove off and fully contemplated what he had done – including accounting for and justifying his actions – before, on his account, making a purported suicide attempt by taking some tablets.
‘In the build up to this attack upon Sophie, the defendant believed that Sophie and his son were financially ‘scamming’ him.’
Jones, of Y Rhodfa, Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, previously admitted manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility, but denied murder.
He was convicted of murder by a jury following a trial on January 30.
In a victim impact statement, Ms Evans’s sister Carrie Quinlan said: ‘Our lives have been completely destroyed by this senseless and cruel act.
‘The trauma this has caused us is beyond words. There will never be enough justice for what he has done and caused us.
‘This man took advantage of a young, vulnerable woman in the most disgraceful way. What he has done is disgraceful.
Prosecutor Michael Jones KC said that Jones had visited Sophie Evans at her home in Llanelli, west Wales, before the killing. Prosecutor Jones said: ‘What we know is in that house he physically and repeatedly attacked Ms Evans before strangling her to death’
‘He has taken everything from us all in the most despicable way possible.’
David Elias KC, defending, offered no personal mitigation, but added: ‘Now the court has heard those two victim personal statements, Mr Jones has heard them too.
‘He knows the horrific thing that he has done.’
However, he added Jones had ‘done a lot of work’ to help Ms Evans and his son – and there was a lack of pre-meditation to the offence.
He also said Jones had been suffering from paranoia brought on by his poor mental health.
But Judge Geraint Walters said whilst Jones’s mental health had troubled him over the years, ‘it was largely caused by lifestyle choices you made’.
Imposing a life sentence, he explained Jones had gone to Ms Evans home and killed her after losing his temper.
‘There is clear evidence in the days leading up to this that you have begun harbouring thoughts that Sophie Evans and your own son were in fact financially scamming,’ he said.
‘What precisely brought about that view is difficult to determine.
It was heard that after the killing Jones was spotted at Jenkins Bakery ordering a custard slice and tuna roll
‘There was evidence that you had entered into an agreement in relation to letting property, which appears to have been a scam, but if anybody was being scammed in relation to that, it would have been a local authority and not you.
‘There is no doubt at all about it, that having lost your temper, that you subjected her to gross violence over a period of time before you ultimately extinguished her life by strangulation.
‘Whereupon you then calmly left, seemingly at that point with no concern in the world.’
Abul Hussain, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘The evidence presented to the jury demonstrated that Richard Jones bore full responsibility for his callous actions.
‘Our thoughts remain with Sophie’s family and friends over their tragic loss.’
Detective Superintendent Gareth Roberts, of Dyfed-Powys Police, described the ‘unimaginable heartbreak’ of Ms Evans’ family.
‘Sophie’s death was completely avoidable, a result of senseless violence triggered when Richard Jones lost his temper,’ Mr Roberts said.
‘Sophie was vulnerable when Jones attacked, alone in her home with no means of defending herself.
‘She was left with fatal injuries when Jones fled the scene, feeling no remorse or sense of responsibility for what he had done.’
Dr Dilum Jayawickrama, a consultant psychiatrist, had said Jones’ behaviour was consistent with someone displaying ‘diminished responsibility’ but the jury disagreed.
The Judge thanked the bar and the jury – and the families for their ‘dignity’ throughout the case.
