Ludgershall murder probe after man's body found in woods

Wiltshire Police have launched a murder investigation after finding the body of a man in his 60s in woodland near Ludgershall. Officers were called to a concern-for-welfare check on 24 September and discovered the body near the Perham Down polo field. A post-mortem led police to treat the death as suspicious.

Key Takeaways

• A murder investigation is under way after a man in his 60s was found dead in woodland near Ludgershall.
• Wiltshire Police were called at 15:41 BST on 24 September for a concern-for-welfare check and found the body about two hours later near the Perham Down polo field.
• An initial post-mortem examination led officers to treat the death as suspicious.
• Detectives are appealing for witnesses who were near the polo field and surrounding woodland between 9am and 6pm on 24 September.

The case is among developing true crime and unsolved mysteries reports as detectives work to establish what happened.

What happened in Ludgershall and when?

According to the BBC, Wiltshire Police were called to Ludgershall at 15:41 BST on Thursday 24 September after a concern for welfare was raised.

About two hours later, officers found the body of a man in his 60s in woods near the polo field close to Perham Down.

The Salisbury Journal reported that police had cordoned off the Perham Down polo field near Ludgershall, with a number of vehicles at the scene, including a forensics van.

Why is the death being treated as murder?

Wiltshire Police said that following an initial post-mortem examination, the death is being treated as suspicious and a murder investigation has been launched.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Walker said the priority is to establish exactly what has happened. He described the inquiry as still in its early stages, with officers working at pace to understand the circumstances of the man's death.

Police have not publicly named the dead man in the latest reports covering the discovery and subsequent murder probe.

What are police asking the public to do?

Det Ch Insp Walker urged anyone with information to come forward. He said it is critical that officers hear from people who may have been in the area of the polo field and surrounding woodland on Thursday 24 September between 9am and 6pm.

Anyone who noticed something out of the ordinary in that window is being asked to contact the force so investigators can build a clearer picture of events around the woodland find.

With forensics activity reported at the cordoned polo field and the murder classification confirmed after the post-mortem, the Ludgershall investigation remains focused on who was in the area that day and what they may have seen.