Thomas Harries
Murderer
Albert Goozee
Murderer · United Kingdom · 1956
Albert William Goozee was a British murderer and paedophile. His crimes inspire…
2 victims
Alfred Charles Whiteway
Murderer · United Kingdom · 1953
Alfred Charles Whiteway was a serial rapist. Both girls had very deep stab woun…
2 victims
Wayne Kubsch
Murderer · USA · 1998
Wayne Kubsch: husband; defendant · Beth Kubsch: wife; murder victim · Rick Mile…
3 victims
Damon Matthews
Murderer · USA · 2003
Damon Matthews (TDCJ Number 999476) was convicted of capital murder in Harris C…
1 victim
Robert Napper
Homicide · United Kingdom · 1992
Robert Clive Napper (born 25 February 1966) was a paranoid schizophrenic convic…
3 victims
Jeff Emery
Murderer · USA · 1979
Jeff Emery was executed by lethal injection in Texas on December 8, 1998. He wa…
1 victim
Cordelia Botkin
Murderer · USA · 1898
Cordelia Botkin was a stocky woman of 44 who left her own husband and started a…
2 victims
Kang Ho-sun
Serial killer · South Korea · 2006
Kang Ho-sun was a Korean serial killer who was sentenced to death on April 22,…
10 victims
- Gender
- male
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Location
- Carmarthenshire, Wales, United Kingdom
- Date of birth
- 1929
- Age at first offence
- 24
- Characteristics
- —
- Victim profile
- John Harries, 63, and his wife, Phoebe Harries, 54 (his uncle and his aunt))
- Method of murder
- Hitting with a hammer
- Date(s) of murder
- October 16, 1953
- Years active
- 1953
- Date of arrest
- November 16, 1953
- Status
-
Executed
Executed by hanging at Swansea Prison on April 28, 1954
Case details
Thomas Ronald Lewis Harries was executed by hanging at Swansea Prison on April 28, 1954.
Background
In October 1953, the small Carmarthenshire farming community noticed unmilked cows in the field. The occurrence was unusual because 63-year-old John Harries was a diligent farmer.
Ronald Harries was 24 years old and was described as the adopted nephew of John Harries. Ronald Harries told people that his uncle, John Harries, and his aunt, Phoebe, had gone to London for a holiday and had left him in charge of their farm in Cadno where they lived. Their disappearance was not accepted by local police.
Investigation
Local police were not satisfied with the answers given by Ronald Harries and called in Scotland Yard. Scotland Yard discovered a cheque made out to Ronald from his uncle that had been altered from £9 to £909.
Detectives suspected Harries had disposed of his elderly relations. However, they said the farm was too large to search manually. They tied lengths of cotton across gateways and gaps in hedges. Detectives then set about making as much noise as possible to put wind up Harries.
The plan worked because Harries could not resist checking to see if the burial site was still intact. In doing so, he broke one of the threads.
At dawn, detectives checked the threads and found the broken thread. They then discovered the graves of John Harries and Phoebe Harries.
Arrest
Harries was charged with the double murder.
Trial
Harries came up for trial at Carmarthen Assizes in March 1954. The circumstantial evidence was described as strong, and Harries was found guilty.
Sentencing
Harries was hanged at Swansea Prison.
Outcome
Harries was found guilty of killing his aunt and uncle, John Harries and Phoebe Harries. He was hanged at Swansea Prison on April 28, 1954.
Other details
- Victim: John Harries, 63.
- Victim: Phoebe Harries, 54.
- Harries’s age at execution: 25.
- Place where the farm was located: Cadno.
- Place of execution: Swansea Prison.
- Date of execution: April 28, 1954.
Spotted an error, or have more information about this case?