A South Wales Evening Post journalist has secured the first interview with the ex-wife of a man suspected of two murders which happened 30 years ago.

After weeks of trying, reporter Ron Cant managed to persuade Joe Kappen’s ex-wife, Christine Powell, to give an interview about her former husband.

The murders are back in the headlines after police dug up Joe’s body for DNA tests in a bid to find out if he killed two girls in September, 1973.

Joe died in 1990 and the family had not spoken of the murders or exhumation until Ron secured the exclusive interview.

Ron said: “It took a long time for the family to come to trust me to put their story across and Mrs Powell was unwilling to talk to anyone else.”

The Post ran the full interview with Christine and Joe’s daughter, Beverly, last Saturday.

The following day a similar story appeared in the Welsh edition of the News of the World written by Owen Tudor, also with an exclusive tag.

Ron said: “It’s a bit strange because I have since spoken to Mrs Powell and she says she spoke to no-one but me.

“I have also called the News of the World and asked to speak to Mr Tudor but he seems to be a bit elusive.

“The Welsh Mirror followed up the story on Monday, May 27, but they rang me to check the quotes, which was fine. And they didn’t put exclusive on the story.”

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