The man suspected of murdering his girlfriend who then died after being Tasered by police allegedly gouged out his victim's eyes and was found 'eating her face' like 'Hannibal Lecter', witnesses have claimed.
The 34-year-old - who has not been identified by police but has been named locally as Matthew Williams - was allegedly eating the 22-year-old victim's eyeball when security staff at the Sirhowy Arms Hotel, south Wales, burst in on the horrific attack.
Staff raised the alarm before police arrived at the hotel in Argoed, a village in Caerphilly, to find the female victim unconscious on the floor with appalling facial injuries.
Officers then tackled Williams - who was reportedly released from prison two weeks earlier - with a high voltage Taser, knocking him to the floor. Moments later, he became unresponsive and died, despite efforts to save him.
Probe: The man suspected of murdering his girlfriend who then died after being Tasered by police allegedly gouged out his victim's eyes and was found 'eating her face' in a south Wales village, witnesses claim
The 34-year-old man has not been identified by police but has been named locally as Matthew Williams. The pair were found at the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in Argoed
Investigation: Gwent Police said it had referred the incident to the Independent Police Complaints Commission
The woman, who he had just met, also died from her injuries, police said.
A murder inquiry has been launched while the use of the taser has been referred to police watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
Jill Edwards, who lives near the hotel, said: 'This animal was eating this girl to death. He murdered her so police stopped him - good on them.
'Security said they told him no girls in his room and he didn't answer, when they opened his door he was eating her face.'
Williams - known by his nickname Fifi - had just served half a five-year prison sentence for a violent attack on his partner who lives nearby.
He was staying at the hotel, which operated as a bail hostel, and had taken his victim back there for a drink when the attack unfolded.
Lyn Beasley, who lives close to the hotel, said: 'He went Hannibal Lecter on the woman, he gouged her eyeball out, ate them and ate and half her face.
'He had just been released from prison and was high on coke.'
On the scene: A local councillor said Argoed, a village in south Wales, had been 'hit for six' by the deaths
Examining the area: The hotel is located in the Sirhowy Valley in a village of about 2,500 people
Response: The Welsh Ambulance Service confirmed they were called to the incident at around 1.30am
A security guard at the hotel, who did not want to be named, also claimed the killer had been eating the woman.
A Home Office pathologist and scenes of crime officers were at the hotel today trying to discover how the couple died.
Gwent Police confirmed both the man and young woman were known to each other.
They said the Taser was discharged and the man was arrested. He then died at the scene despite police trying to save him.
The spokeswoman added: 'We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident and an investigation is underway.'
The matter has been referred to police watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
A spokeswoman for the watchdog said: 'The IPCC is independently investigating an incident overnight in Blackwood in which a man and a woman have died.
'Gwent Police referred the incident to the IPCC early this morning.'
Witnesses reported seeing forensic officers in white overalls at the scene, as well as a police cordon which blocked access to the hotel as well as the local Baptist church's graveyard.
Police were also seen carrying out forensic tests on a silver BMW believed to belong to Williams which was parked outside the hotel.
Local resident Cindy Farr, 41, told MailOnline of a 'significant' police response, adding: 'You do have police going back and forth regularly but I've never seen any problems. It is quite out of character.'
Grandmother Susan Gibbs, 71, who lives near the hotel, said: 'I'm not really surprised that something like this has happened. Police seem to be here every other night to sort out the violence.
'This was a quiet peaceful village before it was opened, now it's got to the stage where our houses are being devalued because of the problem. We've even had people sleeping rough overnight in the hedge rows.
'Once of the bodies was brought out wrapped in a brown bag on a stretcher.'
And Reverend Charlotte Moss of Argoed Baptist Church told MailOnline: 'We're doing what we can. All we can do at the moment is we've opened the building and made it available for people.'
She said she had been 'back and forth' to the church today - and added that it was there to support local residents, describing the area as 'a typical Valleys village'.
Welsh Ambulance Services were called by police at 1.30am and said they 'responded with a paramedic in a rapid response vehicle and a crew in an emergency ambulance'.
A spokesman added that a man and woman were both pronounced dead at the scene.
Early morning attack: Police were called to the Sirhowy Arms Hotel (above) in Argoed, Caerphilly, south Wales
Statement: Gwent Police was told that the man was attacking the woman just before 1.30am today
The hotel - located in the Sirhowy Valley in a village of about 2,500 people - has nine guest rooms, including three singles, four twins, one double and one family.
Local media reported five years ago how the building was being used as a bed and breakfast helping the homeless, having closed as a pub and hotel in 2008.
Local councillor and Caerphilly Council deputy mayor Leon Gardiner, 81, said Argoed had been 'hit for six' by the deaths.
He said: 'When I went for my paper this morning, I could see the road was closed off and there were police everywhere. When I heard that two people had died, I couldn't believe it.
'Everyone is totally stunned by what has happened. It's a shock because Argoed is a lovely place to live and I've never known anything like this to happen here before.'
When I heard that two people had died, I couldn't believe it. Everyone is totally stunned by what has happened
Leon Gardiner, local councillor
Mr Gardiner added that he also felt sorry for the owners the Sirhowy Arms Hotel.
'They are a lovely couple and well liked' he said. 'They've done a smashing job - especially with the renovations in the past couple of years.
'It's a B&B but has been used as a hostel for homeless people. It's run magnificently.'
That sentiment was also echoed by a neighbour of the hotel, who said: 'We've never had any problems. The people who live there are not allowed to drink or smoke in the hotel so they go down to the woods to do it. Sometimes there are police vans outside if there has been a fight or something, but despite that it's still a quiet street.'
A spokesman for Caerphilly County Borough Council said: 'The authority is fully co-operating with Gwent Police as part of their ongoing investigations.
'We can confirm that the B&B establishment is used by the council for the temporary placement of single homeless people and has been in operation for a number of years.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2823314/Man-kills-woman-hotel-attack-dies-police-custody-Tasered.html#ixzz3IJk6lkil
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