The Body Next Door on Sky: The Story Behind the Discovery in Beddau
Documentary series in three parts about a body found in a plastic bag after 28 years
What is the series about?
The Body Next Door is a documentary series that is based on one of the most bizarre criminal cases in recent British history. In November 2015, in the sleepy village of Beddau in Wales, a group of friends decided to pull a practical joke involving what they thought was a medical skeleton hidden in a plastic bag in a garden. However, it quickly became clear that the 'skeleton' was the earthly remains of a human being, tightly wrapped in plastic and hidden in broad daylight for 28 years. The series follows the police's desperate struggle to identify the deceased and figure out how they ended up behind a row of houses without anyone suspecting for nearly three decades.
The real case
The case of the body in Beddau, also known as 'The Plastic-Wrapped Body Case', started as a local oddity but quickly escalated into a global murder mystery. When the forensic experts examined the body, it became clear that it was a man who had been killed many years earlier. The investigation revealed a complex web of lies and deceit that stretched all the way to New Zealand. It turned out that the victim was part of a family with deep secrets, where the outward facade concealed a dark reality. Through interviews with neighbors, investigators, and family members, the series uncovers how it was possible for a perpetrator to hide a crime for so long in a close-knit community like Beddau.
Timeline of the case
The crime is believed to have taken place around 1987, after which the body was placed in a storage room or shed. There it lay undisturbed while neighbors passed by every single day. It wasn't until 2015 that the truth came to light when the plastic was cut open as part of a prank. The police in South Wales had to use advanced DNA techniques and genealogy to piece together the victim's identity, which led them to a person who had officially been 'missing' many years prior. Read more about the forensic details in the Beddau case here .
Watch the series
The Body Next Door consists of three episodes, each diving deeper into the mystery. The series is produced by Raw TV and directed by Gareth Johnson. It is available on streaming services such as Sky Documentaries and BBC Select. For viewers interested in true crime that focuses on the human costs of long-held secrets, this series is essential.