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0:00:07 > 0:00:10- Secrets...
0:00:10 > 0:00:12- ..lies...
0:00:12 > 0:00:14- ..deceit...
0:00:15 > 0:00:17- ..violence.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21- Every criminal case is a distinct - challenge for the detective.
0:00:24 > 0:00:29- To discover the truth, - they need patience and curiosity.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41- Tonight, I'm following - the trail of the Welshman...
0:00:41 > 0:00:46- ..who hid his landlord's body in a - quarry before fleeing the country...
0:00:47 > 0:00:50- ..and how the detectives raced - to catch him.
0:01:17 > 0:01:22- Swansea Bay, Sunday 2 August, 2015.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26- The police have received a call - that a 59-year-old man...
0:01:26 > 0:01:28- ..called Alec Warburton is missing.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33- We had a call from Alec's brother...
0:01:34 > 0:01:37- ..Mr Graham Warburton, - who lives in the south of England.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42- He was concerned that he hadn't - spoken to Alec for several days.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46- Originally from Pembrokeshire...
0:01:46 > 0:01:50- ..Alec Warburton had lived in - Swansea for over twenty years.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54- He had just lost his father - and on the preceding Thursday...
0:01:55 > 0:01:58- ..he'd spoken to his brother - over the phone.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01- But after that, - he had not answered any calls.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04- This was unusual for him.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06- They spoke every day.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09- They spoke at length. - Not just for a minute.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13- It wasn't just small talk. - They discussed things.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18- Then he just disappeared.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24- The police sent welfare officers - to look for him...
0:02:25 > 0:02:26- ..at his home in Sketty.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30- This is where Alec Warburton lived.
0:02:30 > 0:02:35- Number 60, Vivian Road, Sketty, - Swansea.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40- As you can see, it's a town house - with three floors.
0:02:42 > 0:02:47- Alec rented rooms in the house - to various individuals.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52- Some tenants have said that - they have an explanation.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57- They said that Alec had left them - a message to say he'd gone away...
0:02:57 > 0:03:03- ..to look after a friend - who was ill.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05- He hadn't told his brother. - It was odd.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08- The police began to ask questions...
0:03:08 > 0:03:12- ..and to look into Alec Warburton's - movements around the city.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17- After investigating, the police - knew that Alec Warburton...
0:03:18 > 0:03:21- ..had been shopping on the morning - of 30 July.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24- He also kept an appointment - at the opticians.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28- But there was no record - of his movements after that.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35- These are the last pictures - the police have of Alec Warburton.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45- Then, Graham Warburton received - two texts...
0:03:46 > 0:03:50- ..sent from his brother's phone - saying that he'd gone away...
0:03:50 > 0:03:53- ..and not to send the police - to his house.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03- But his brother never wrote his name - like that at the end of a text.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08- The text wasn't what he would - usually receive.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12- Also, the language used and - the explanation wasn't like Alec.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14- Graham knew something was wrong.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23- When the police returned to - the house to question the tenants...
0:04:23 > 0:04:27- ..they began to suspect the story - of one tenant in particular.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29- His name was David Ellis.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34- David Ellis had been a tenant - since May.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38- He lived in a room - on the ground floor.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40- When Alec Warburton disappeared...
0:04:41 > 0:04:43- ..the other tenants received - a letter...
0:04:44 > 0:04:47- ..telling them to pay their rent - to David Ellis.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50- The tenants thought it was odd...
0:04:50 > 0:04:55- ..because David Ellis was the last - person to move into the house.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59- When he was questioned by police...
0:05:00 > 0:05:03- ..David Ellis said that he'd paid - the money - over 900...
0:05:04 > 0:05:06- ..into the landlord's account.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15- But the following morning, - when police contacted the bank...
0:05:15 > 0:05:17- ..no money had been paid in.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23- When the police returned - to the house...
0:05:23 > 0:05:25- ..there was no sign of David Ellis.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31- No money had ever been deposited.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34- That's when suspicions - were raised...
0:05:34 > 0:05:38- ..that something untoward - had happened to Alec.
0:05:38 > 0:05:44- On Wednesday, 5 August, the home - address became a crime scene.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49- "Police and forensics - have been at the scene."
0:05:52 > 0:05:55- These are the pictures - filmed by the police...
0:05:55 > 0:06:00- ..as their forensic experts examined - the house and David Ellis' room.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03- A piece of carpet had been cut away.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08- It's possible that there was blood - in the room too.
0:06:08 > 0:06:14- It looked as if efforts had been - made to clean up the blood.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19- The bed had been moved back...
0:06:19 > 0:06:24- ..because behind where the bed - had been, there was no blood.
0:06:24 > 0:06:26- But when we moved the bed back...
0:06:26 > 0:06:31- ..there was blood on the wood of the - bed that fitted the pattern exactly.
0:06:34 > 0:06:39- They tested the blood, and it proved - to be a match to Alec Warburton.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46- Further investigation - in the chimney breast...
0:06:46 > 0:06:49- ..revealed that there was arcing - of blood.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51- It was low down, low level...
0:06:51 > 0:06:56- ..which led us to understand that - the assault happened low down...
0:06:56 > 0:06:58- ..most likely when Alec - was on the floor.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05- Clearly, we were aware - that there was an assault.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09- That Alec would have bled heavily - in that room...
0:07:09 > 0:07:13- ..and that we were therefore - looking at a potential murder.
0:07:17 > 0:07:22- The news was a tremendous shock - to his brother and family.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24- They couldn't believe it.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27- It seemed incredible to them...
0:07:28 > 0:07:31- ..that the last time Graham - spoke to him...
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- ..he was on his way to Specsavers - to get new glasses.
0:07:35 > 0:07:41- He heard nothing more, - then he got the bad news from me.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43- It was very hard for him.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51- The race to find David Ellis - was now on for the detectives.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55- After trawling through hours - of CCTV footage...
0:07:55 > 0:07:58- ..they came across these pictures - of him in a green jumper...
0:07:59 > 0:08:01- ..in Swansea on August 4.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- I divided the team so we had - a two pronged approach.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09- One was the search, - and the manhunt for David Ellis.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13- The other was the body search - for a deposition site...
0:08:13 > 0:08:19- ..so that we could bring Alec back - and lay him to rest properly.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22- We were looking for a needle - in a haystack...
0:08:22 > 0:08:26- ..but I didn't even know - where the haystack was.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32- Questioning people door to door...
0:08:32 > 0:08:37- ..detectives discovered that Ellis - was a member of the city library.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41- The police visited this library.
0:08:41 > 0:08:46- They discovered that David Ellis had - been researching on the Internet...
0:08:46 > 0:08:48- ..and had used the printer.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53- The detectives now suspected that - he was responsible for printing...
0:08:53 > 0:08:56- ..and leaving the letter - for the tenants...
0:08:56 > 0:08:59- ..and not the landlord, - Alec Warburton.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06- CCTV images also proved that David - Ellis was printing something...
0:09:07 > 0:09:09- ..in the library on July 28...
0:09:09 > 0:09:12- ..two days before Alec Warburton - disappeared.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20- The landlord's car was also missing.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24- The police searched for it - on ANPR cameras...
0:09:24 > 0:09:27- ..that recognise - car registration numbers.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33- On August 1, the car travelled - to North Wales on the A470.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37- It was seen driving towards - Betws-y-Coed.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48- Just after midnight, who was seen on - CCTV in the high street there?
0:09:48 > 0:09:51- David Ellis.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59- David Ellis slept overnight in the - car in the car park in Betws-y-Coed.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02- A police officer questioned him...
0:10:02 > 0:10:05- ..but before he had a chance - to inspect the car...
0:10:06 > 0:10:08- ..he was called away - to an emergency.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12- Unbeknown to that police officer, - there was key evidence...
0:10:12 > 0:10:14- ..in the boot of the car.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23- We had a picture of the car - travelling to North Wales.
0:10:23 > 0:10:29- In the picture, a white package is - visible in the back of the car...
0:10:29 > 0:10:32- ..with some yellow rope.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42- The day after that, we received - another picture of the same car...
0:10:42 > 0:10:45- ..travelling back to South Wales.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47- The package was no longer - in the car.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55- The police knew that Ellis - had travelled back to Swansea.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00- But overnight, the car disappeared - from the ANPR cameras.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07- Experts began to search - for every number and model...
0:11:07 > 0:11:09- ..similar to the car on the system.
0:11:10 > 0:11:15- What he'd done was - use insulation tape.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19- He'd put it - over the number plate...
0:11:19 > 0:11:22- ..changing two numbers on the plate.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29- He changed the letters HFJ to HEU.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33- We ran the same PR - on the new number...
0:11:33 > 0:11:37- ..and we found it at the port - in Birkenhead.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44- Merseyside Police found the car - in the Stena Line car park.
0:11:44 > 0:11:50- In the car, there was black tape, - Domestos, wipes and yellow rope.
0:11:51 > 0:11:56- There was blood in the car and that - proved to belong to Alec Warburton.
0:11:57 > 0:12:03- Also a fingerprint belonging to - David Ellis was found on the car.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08- But there was no sign of Ellis - himself.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13- Detectives found these pictures - on CCTV.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17- It shows Ellis buying a ticket, - leaving...
0:12:17 > 0:12:19- ..then returning - to the waiting room...
0:12:20 > 0:12:22- ..having changed his clothes - and hat.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28- He left on a boat to Belfast - on August 5.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33- It would be difficult now - for the detectives to find him.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36- It was important that we catch him.
0:12:36 > 0:12:42- We were days behind him and time - was on his side, not on ours.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46- The landlord's body was still - missing.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49- Where was Alec? - What had happened to him?
0:12:50 > 0:12:53- As every day went by, - I was conscious in my mind...
0:12:53 > 0:12:57- ..that we were losing opportunities - to gather forensic evidence.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05- David Ellis had fled Wales.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09- The detectives were under pressure - to find answers.
0:13:09 > 0:13:10- And find them fast.
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0:13:28 > 0:13:30- August 2015.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- South Wales Police were searching - for the killer...
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- ..of landlord, Alec Warburton.
0:13:36 > 0:13:42- The suspect, David Ellis, - had fled to Ireland.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46- The detectives had to rely on Garda - officers to find him.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- They were also searching - for Alec Warburton's body.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58- With the help of - North Wales Police...
0:13:58 > 0:14:02- ..detectives began to search - in the Dolwyddelan area...
0:14:03 > 0:14:05- ..where David Ellis was raised.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09- We wanted to find the body - more than anything at that time.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13- The family were very concerned - about where he was.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21- David Ellis was a 41-year-old - Welsh-speaking Welshman.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24- His family still lived - in Dolwyddelan.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28- He moved to South Wales - after a spell in prison.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33- David Ellis was a sex offender.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37- He was in prison for five years for - a sexual attack on a woman in 1996.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42- The team were under immense pressure - to catch this dangerous man...
0:14:42 > 0:14:44- ..who seemed to have escaped.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50- He was on - the Sex Offenders Register.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54- He was supposed to report - his movements to the police.
0:14:55 > 0:14:59- After searching for a month, - the Garda in Ireland...
0:14:59 > 0:15:02- ..found him at a Bed and Breakfast - in Galway.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06- He was arrested for failing - to register his address...
0:15:06 > 0:15:08- ..while he was in Ireland.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14- While in custody, - he shared a secret with them.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16- He showed them a map on his phone.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19- He said that - there was a body there...
0:15:19 > 0:15:22- ..that would be of interest - to the police in Wales.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27- The location was the old Prince - Llewellyn Slate Quarry, Dolwyddelan.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37- Detectives from North Wales Police - went to examine the site.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45- I noticed that the fence - was broken here...
0:15:45 > 0:15:51- ..and it was possible that the body - has been thrown over the edge.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55- I think that the car drove - down the track to here.
0:15:55 > 0:16:00- David Ellis could see that the coast - was clear both ways...
0:16:00 > 0:16:04- ..and that he could do whatever he - wanted here and no-one would notice.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09- On closer examination...
0:16:09 > 0:16:13- ..they saw something white on the - quarry floor amid the rubbish.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18- But there was a hundred foot drop - over the edge.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- It was too dangerous for the police - to examine the area.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27- They needed expert help from the - Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue team.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44- It's a remote spot.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47- It was very difficult - for the police...
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- ..to access the quarry - and retrieve the body.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54- As a Mountain Rescue team, - we have the skills and equipment...
0:16:55 > 0:16:58- ..to set up a system of ropes - to enter the quarry.
0:17:02 > 0:17:07- After abseiling down, they spotted - a naked body amid the rubbish.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11- The body had decomposed. - It had been there for weeks.
0:17:16 > 0:17:21- At the far end of the quarry, - there is a cave.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25- Where we're looking now, - the body was on the left hand side.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28- At the farthest end of the quarry.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32- It had obviously been dropped - from the top over there...
0:17:32 > 0:17:34- ..down to the very bottom.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38- How did you get the body - out of there?
0:17:38 > 0:17:40- We went round to the far end.
0:17:40 > 0:17:46- We set up an anchor and - a rope system right above the body.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49- Then, using the ropes...
0:17:49 > 0:17:54- ..we lifted the stretcher - containing the body.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58- A team of police underwater experts - were there too.
0:17:59 > 0:18:05- They all made sure that the forensic - evidence was secured in bags.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09- It was very important for us not to - destroy any part of the evidence.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14- The care we took in this respect - was just as important...
0:18:14 > 0:18:17- ..as the techniques we used - to retrieve the body.
0:18:19 > 0:18:23- It was obvious that David Ellis - had chosen the location carefully.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27- He had connections to the area. - He knew about the quarry.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30- The quarry is little known - and is closed.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35- In his mind, he knew he could take - the body somewhere...
0:18:35 > 0:18:37- ..it would never be found.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43- But now, his plan was unravelling.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45- Dental records confirmed...
0:18:45 > 0:18:49- ..that the body in the quarry - was that of Alec Warburton.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54- It was a great relief to be able - to tell the family...
0:18:55 > 0:18:57- ..that we were bringing Alec home.
0:18:57 > 0:19:02- It was a major breakthrough for the - team to know that he had been found.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13- The post-mortem showed - that Alec Warburton...
0:19:13 > 0:19:15- ..had suffered serious - head injuries.
0:19:15 > 0:19:21- According to the pathologist, these - would have killed him in seconds.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28- The majority of those injuries, - of which there were six defects...
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- ..matched damage to the underlying - skull.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35- On this plastic skull, you can see - a rough diagram of the injuries.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40- The large black areas are the holes - in the skull.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44- This one here, particularly, which - measured four centimetres across...
0:19:44 > 0:19:47- ..was a complete - through and through hole.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51- From the position of the wounds - on the scalp and the skull...
0:19:51 > 0:19:56- ..it looks like Mr Warburton was - attacked from behind with a hammer.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04- David Ellis was charged with murder.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07- After obtaining - a European Arrest Warrant...
0:20:07 > 0:20:11- ..South Wales Police brought him - back from Ireland to face a jury.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18- On June 8, 2016, - at Swansea Crown Court...
0:20:19 > 0:20:22- ..David Ellis pleaded guilty - to manslaughter.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24- But he denied murder.
0:20:29 > 0:20:34- The letter he left for the tenants - became a key part of the case.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40- The police had sent the letter and - the printer from Swansea Library...
0:20:40 > 0:20:42- ..to a forensic expert.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46- Some printers produce - a yellow dot pattern...
0:20:46 > 0:20:49- ..which is invisible - to the naked eye.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- But it can be enhanced - using specialist equipment.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56- These dot patterns are unique - to particular printers.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00- It's almost like a fingerprint - for the printer itself.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03- It denotes specialist decoded - information...
0:21:03 > 0:21:06- ..such as serial number, - make and model.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10- With this particular examination, - I examined the question note first.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13- A dot pattern did become apparent.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16- It was enhanced with the lighting - techniques.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- On the specimen document, - a dot pattern was also enhanced.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22- Both of these dot patterns - were identical.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26- This meant that they had to have - come from the same printer.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31- With this evidence and the pictures - of Ellis in the library...
0:21:31 > 0:21:34- ..two days before his landlord - disappeared...
0:21:34 > 0:21:39- ..the prosecution argued that Ellis - intended and planned to kill.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42- For me that was - a level of premeditation.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47- He had clearly planned to murder - Alec, most likely for money.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54- In court, David Ellis denied - intention to murder.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59- He alleged that the landlord had - asked him for sexual favours.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03- He said that he had lost his temper - and hit him.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05- But the jury didn't believe him.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08- After two hours and ten minutes...
0:22:08 > 0:22:12- ..they decided that David Ellis - was guilty of murder.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15- He was jailed for life by the judge.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31- How did you feel - after the guilty verdict?
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- I was very pleased. - Mainly for the family.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- I wanted them to have closure.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42- I was pleased for the team too.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46- We'd put almost a year's work - into the investigation.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49- To prove that he was lying in court.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- The team were very pleased.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56- He was a very good landlord - to the tenants.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59- They were all affected - by his death...
0:22:59 > 0:23:02- ..which was untimely - and very unnecessary.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06- It was committed by a very - manipulative, evil individual.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14- He was a man who wanted everything - to be good.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18- He enjoyed his life.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22- He lost his life - over something so simple.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27- It's incredible that someone would - do such a thing for money.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56- S4C Subtitles by Testun Cyf.
0:23:56 > 0:23:56- .