Convicted murderer directed Joanne Penney shooting from prison cell, court hears

Nation.Cymru staff

A convicted murderer orchestrated the fatal shooting of a woman in south Wales from his prison cell using a hidden mobile phone, a court has heard.

Renaldo Baptiste was found guilty of the murder of Joanne Penney following a second trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

The 39-year-old, from London, was accused of supplying the gun and ammunition used in the attack while serving a life sentence for a previous murder.

Penney died after being shot through the chest at an address in Talbot Green on March 9, 2025.

Prosecutors said the killing was linked to a violent turf war between rival drug gangs operating in south Wales.

The court heard that Cardiff drug dealer Marcus Huntley travelled to Talbot Green alongside Jordan Mills-Smith and Melissa Quailey-Dashper to carry out what prosecutors described as a revenge attack.

Quailey-Dashper knocked on the door of the property, which Penney answered, before Huntley shot her through the heart.

Huntley had already admitted murder, while Mills-Smith, Quailey-Dashper and Joshua Gordon were convicted at an earlier trial this year.

Jurors in the second trial heard Baptiste used a secret “prison phone” to continue running drug operations and to source firearms and ammunition from behind bars.

He admitted being part of an organised crime group known as Rico and supplying drugs to Huntley and Mills-Smith, who were dealing crack cocaine and cocaine in south Wales.

The gang’s expansion into Talbot Green sparked conflict with another organised crime group already operating in the area.

The court heard rival dealers had “confronted and humiliated” members of the Cardiff gang, leading to discussions about obtaining a firearm to “send a message”.

Messages shown to jurors included Huntley asking Baptiste for a .38 Smith & Wesson pistol and “10 sweets”, slang for bullets.

In one exchange, Huntley wrote: “Leg shots only.”

Baptiste responded with a laughing emoji.

Cocaine

Baptiste denied knowing a shooting would take place and claimed “leg shot” referred to cocaine rather than firearms.

Three other people were also convicted following the second trial.

Molly Cooper, 33, from Leicester, was found guilty of acquiring ammunition for a firearm after DNA matching hers was discovered on bullets linked to the shooting.

Donna James, 51, from Llanishen, and Laura John, 23, from Rhiwbina, were both convicted of assisting an offender after helping Mills-Smith flee Wales following the murder.

Police said Huntley later buried the converted starter pistol and ammunition in woodland near his Cardiff home before attempting to escape to Leicester by coach. He was arrested days later by armed officers.

A total of 11 people connected to the organised crime group have now been convicted across the two trials and will be sentenced at a later date