Barry Griffiths, a man from Wales, UK, died after accidentally stabbing himself while trying to separate two frozen burgers. The 57-year-old, who lived alone, was found on his bed several days after passing. The scene initially left investigators puzzled as blood was found in various parts of his home. However, the cause of death became clear once the postmortem report came out. During the investigation, police discovered a knife, two frozen burgers and a tea towel in his kitchen. Detective Chief Inspector Jonathan Rees speculated that Griffiths, who couldn’t use one arm due to a previous stroke, accidentally wounded himself while attempting to separate the burgers.
At Pontypridd Coroner’s Court, investigators revealed that Griffiths’ body was discovered on July 4, 2023, after he was not seen for over a week. According to the Western Telegraph, the police were informed at 1:15 pm, who upon reaching the site found the man lying on his bed with blood on his stomach. Blood stains were also found in the hallway, bathroom and bedroom. Detective Sergeant Stephen Vaughan, who investigated the scene with crime scene investigator Elizabeth Nurse, described Griffiths’ death as an unexplained tragedy rather than a suicide.
As per the portal, Vaughan said, “On reflection, I should have probably got closer to check the wound. There were no adverse comments or concerns raised other than reddening in the stomach. Some days later I was made aware that a wound had been found on Mr Griffiths. I stepped away and had no further involvement for integrity and not to compromise the investigation.”
Meanwhile, Detective Chief Inspector Jonathan Rees explained that as soon as the investigation began, the flat was sealed to prevent anyone from entering without his approval. However, the mattress was already thrown away, the flat was cleaned and Barry Griffiths’ clothes were burned. Rees described the situation as a “lost opportunity.” He also mentioned that local shops and businesses were urgently asked to contact the police and preserve any CCTV footage, as there was concern that important digital records could get lost after 31 days.
Rees said, “My thought process favoured the wound had been caused by an accident solely involving Mr Griffiths. The bottom drawer of the freezer had been left open and pulled forward in a position to access food items. On the work surface in the kitchen adjacent to the fridge freezer were two uncooked burgers, a knife, and a tea towel. The wound to the abdomen would have been approximately the height of the work surface. My hypothesis at that stage was that Mr Griffiths was attempting to separate frozen burgers using a knife.”
Jonathan Rees further explained that they initially thought the tip of a knife had chocolate, but it was actually covered with Barry Griffiths’ blood. They didn’t find any signs of forced entry or exit at the flat. His parcels were untouched, and no blood was found outside or on the windows. Griffiths’ personal devices had no search history related to self-harm, planning for death, or any financial or personal conflicts.
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