Police claim to have solved London ‘spy in the bag’ mystery

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A review into the death of a British spy, whose naked, decomposing body was found padlocked in a bag in his bathtub, has finished, London police said on Monday. open image in gallery Gareth Williams, 31, was working for Britain’s external intelligence service MI6 when he was found dead at his home Gareth Williams, 31, was working for Britain’s external intelligence service MI6 when he was found dead at his home in August 2010, and the nature of his job and his death provoked a wide range of what police later called “weird and wonderful” conspiracy theories. open image in gallery The holdall in which Gareth Williams was found curled in a foetal position A further forensic review was commissioned in 2021 and its findings, delivered last November, had not thrown further light on the case, Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, the senior investigating officer. The remains of the maths prodigy were found curled up inside a zipped and padlocked red hold-all at the London flat - an intelligence service “safe house” - close to MI6’s headquarters.