Search begins for five bodies thought to be buried under car park

Kieran Miller

A search is underway to find the bodies of five convicted criminals thought to be buried beneath a council car park.

The remains are believed to be those of five individuals hanged in the 1800s when a prison building stood on the site.

A deep-ground scan has taken place in Carmarthenshire County Hall car park using a digital radio scanner.

Shane Gwilt from Leica Geosystems carried out the scans on Sunday 15 February to try and find the four convicted murderers and one convicted forger who were executed between 1818 – 1894 and may lie under the car park, which was previously the prison gardens.

Organised by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, Cllr Alun Lenny and former Mayor of Carmarthen Town, Richard Goodridge, the findings of the scan have been sent to Italy for analysis, with the results expected in a week.

County Hall stands on the original site of the former Carmarthen prison which was closed in 1922.

However, despite the demolition of the buildings in the 1930s, Richard Goodridge believes that bodies remain where they were originally buried.

He said: “I strongly believe, based on the evidence and research I have carried out over the last two years, that the remains of these five convicted felons, hanged for their crimes, still remain where they were buried after their execution.”

“It is the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle, that if confirmed will lay to rest a great mystery that has fascinated Carmarthen residents for over a hundred years. It is unbelievable that the bodies were not exhumed then the prison was demolished.”

“Finding them will at least bring to an end a mystery worthy of a Sherlock Holmes novel!”