Two men, Mark Roberts and David Garland, have been found guilty of the brutal murder of Michael Wheeler, whom they mistakenly believed was a convicted paedophile. The verdict was reached after a trial lasting over five weeks at Bristol Crown Court on June 5.
Michael Wheeler, 37, from Yeovil, was attacked at Roberts’ flat in Juniper Close in the early hours of August 24, 2024. The assault inflicted severe trauma, including eleven skull and facial fractures, and led to his death. His body was concealed and later discovered in a derelict caravan on farmland in Yarlington over a month later.
The prosecution revealed that the motive behind the murder arose from a mistaken identity linked to an online news report about another Michael Wheeler, convicted in 2003 for child sexual offences. The victim, however, had no such convictions and was known to the accused men, all of whom were friends prior to the incident. The murder was also reportedly connected to a £100 debt owed by the victim to Roberts.
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David Garland, who had admitted to interfering with the victim’s body’s lawful burial, was among those convicted. Three other men present—Jack Rance, Angus Warner, and Reuben Clare—were acquitted of all charges.
Detective Superintendent Lorett Spierenburg, leading the Major Crime Investigation Team, described the killing as cold and unprovoked. She emphasized the tragic loss of a man who was denied the chance to clear his name and whose final words were affectionate messages to his family.
The case unfolded while Wheeler’s mother was terminally ill, and she passed away before justice was served. The victim is survived by his sister, ex-wife, and a young daughter.
Roberts and Garland remain in custody, awaiting sentencing scheduled for June 13.