NEWPORT MAN WHO ATTACKED ESTRANGED WIFE WITH A SHOTGUN FOUND DEAD IN WOODS
The estranged wife of a gunman shot when her husband opened fire in a hair salon believes he planned to kill her.Rachel Williams, 39, remains hospitalized after Darren Williams shot her with a double barrelled shotgun, shattering her leg before he was later discovered hanging in Brynglas Woods two weeks ago.
She recounted, "I believe it was one bullet for me and one bullet for him," indicating her belief that Darren Williams had come into the salon intending to kill her.
In an interview, she stated, "I know he had come in there to kill me." During the attack, Darren Williams also injured two other customers, Connie Evans, 92, and another woman, and wounded another woman with at least 13 gunshot pellets.
Ms Williams described her experience, saying she was at the front desk when her estranged husband entered with a gun.
She attempted to grab the weapon, but he struck her in the head with the gun's butt, after which he punched and kicked her while she was on the floor.
She described, "He pummelled me.
I don't know how I didn't get a broken nose or jaw." She pleaded for him not to shoot her, and when he fired again, the bullet went around the room.
The attack left her with severe injuries, including the potential loss of her leg, a reconstructed shin bone, a new knee joint, and ongoing physiotherapy.
Her account reveals a meticulously planned attack, with her stating, "I think hanging himself was a back-up plan for him, he was very meticulous about planning things." Darren Williams was previously jailed for four months in 2004 after police found a weapons arsenal at his home.
The incident in the hair salon resulted in a major police search, and Darren Williams was found hanging in woods hours later.
An inquest into his death was adjourned for three months to allow further investigation, and his family expressed devastation, noting he had suffered in recent weeks due to a breakup and needed professional help.
The case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission to determine if further investigation is warranted regarding the circumstances leading up to his death.
