Richard Jones, 50, murdered Sophie Evans in a violent attack before calmly running errands, convinced she was scamming him.
A man who brutally murdered his son’s girlfriend after wrongly believing she was defrauding him has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 20 years.
Richard Jones, 50, attacked 30-year-old Sophie Evans in her Llanelli home, beating and strangling her to death. Swansea Crown Court heard that after killing her, Jones showed no remorse—calmly leaving to run errands, including ordering a new bank card and buying a custard slice.
The court was told Jones had become fixated on the idea that Evans and his son, Jamie Davies, had tricked him into signing a tenancy agreement and were exploiting his finances. His paranoia escalated in the days before the attack.
On July 5 last year, as Evans returned home after dropping off her two children, Jones arrived. What happened inside remains unknown, but prosecutors detailed how she suffered repeated violence before being strangled.
After leaving the scene, Jones called his ex-partner, chillingly telling her he had “sorted” the problem and “erased” it.
A Family’s Devastation
The victim’s sister, Carrie Quinlan, described the murder as a “senseless and cruel act” that had destroyed their lives.
“Sophie was vulnerable, and this man took advantage in the most disgraceful way,” she said.
Her devastated partner, Jamie Davies, said: “Richard has ruined my future. I trusted him. I never imagined he was capable of harming Sophie—let alone murdering her.”
The Court’s Verdict
Jones admitted manslaughter by diminished responsibility but denied murder. The jury found him guilty.
Judge Geraint Walters told him: “You lost your temper and subjected her to gross violence before extinguishing her life. Then you calmly left, with no concern in the world.”
Detective Superintendent Gareth Roberts condemned the killing as “completely avoidable.” He said Evans was left helpless and alone in her final moments.
Jones will serve a minimum of 20 years before he is eligible for parole
