Home / Crime and Justice / Pathology Solves 1996 'Baby Bear' Killing
Pathology Solves 1996 'Baby Bear' Killing
1 Feb
Summary
- Human remains were discovered in a burnt forest in May 1996.
- Victim identified as Tyrone France, known as 'baby bear'.
- A new documentary highlights pathology's role in solving the case.
In May 1996, a discovery in Wentwood Forest near Newport led to a painstaking investigation. Forestry workers alerted police to remains of a fire, where authorities found teeth, charred bone fragments, and spent bullets. These were initially thought to be animal remains or remnants of campfires, common in the popular camping spot.
The investigation, described as 'painstaking' by Gwent Police, eventually identified the victim as Tyrone France, aged 31. Loved ones affectionately called him 'baby bear' due to his gentle nature. His family described his death as 'horrific.'
France was murdered under the pretext of a drug deal. The case exposed the 'dark underbelly' of drugs and gangs in Newport during that era. Nearly three decades later, a new documentary reveals how pathology techniques were crucial in uncovering the 'brutal and pitiless murder.'
