Murder of Joy Morgan

Joy Morgan was born on 12 February 1998[1] and moved to South London with her family in her early childhood, Morgan's family struggled financially whilst she was growing up. Morgan's mother, Carol, often worked 12-15 hour shifts as a care worker. Morgan's uncle died of cancer in 2006 and later in around 2012 her stepfather had also died of the same disease. In 2014, Morgan's father committed suicide. Some time after, Morgan began studying Midwifery at the University of Hertfordshire.[5]

Shortly after the death of Morgan's father, she started to become interested in a church organisation known by its full name as the Israelite Church of God in Jesus Christ after coming across it on the internet. After joining the church it is reported it became a big part of Morgan's life and she started to distance herself from her biological family. Two weeks before her disappearance, Morgan described the Church in a video posted on the church's social media as "like the best family that I've ever had".[5]

The US-based Southern Poverty Law Center, in 2008, described the Church as a black supremacist Hebrew Israelite groups as "the extremist fringe" of the movement. It wrote that the members of such groups "believe that Jews are devilish impostors and ... openly condemn whites as evil personified, deserving only death or slavery". The Church has also been described as openly Racist, Sexist and also Homophobic.[6][7][8][9]

In January 2016, Morgan joined the UK branch of the organisation, which is based in Ilford, London. Her family reported that their relationship with Morgan became incredibly strained due to the teachings of the Church Morgan was now a part of. Morgan started to target and mistreat her Multiracial siblings, referring to them as "demons of white-men".[5] The church is also reported to have a very particular and clear social hierarchy, with women at the church having no ranks and are referred to as 'sisters'. Women at the church are also required to call all men 'sir'.[10]

Morgan was heavily invested into the Church. Lead Prosecutor, Mark Fenhalls, stated that Morgan "was a mainstay of the congregation, worshiping regularly and helping run the [churches] children's group".[10]

On the 26 December 2017, Morgan was last seen alive at a Church celebration in Ilford. On the 28 December, her phone number was removed from "a church social media chat group". Morgan was not reported missing by any members of the Church, and was only reported missing to police on the 7 February 2018, by concerned flatmates who had not seen her since Christmas.[10] An extensive police investigation began, led by Bedfordshire Police, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Hertfordshire Constabulary. Morgan's family took park in local and national media appeals but no evidence was found to suggest that Morgan was alive. Police found no reliable indications that she wanted to leave the church, suggesting that her number had been removed by someone using her phone.[11]

On the 9 February, Police arrested Shohfah-El Israel on the M25 motorway, a person who also attended the same Church as Morgan.[10] Police searched Israel's car and discovered Morgan's house keys. Israel during questioning told police that he had driven Ms Morgan to her home in Hatfield on 26 December 2017. Israel was later re-arrested on the 26 February 2018 and charged the following day for murder.[11] He later admitted he had in fact spent two nights alone with the University of Hertfordshire student in his Cricklewood flat, but claimed his lies were due to concerns about having broken church rules banning women from being alone with men other than their husbands.[12]

Israel was convicted by a jury at Reading Crown Court of killing Morgan by a jury. Judge Soole, expressed his frustration at Israel's "cruel and cowardly" refusal to reveal her whereabouts caused "continuing distress and suffering" to her family, despite several pleas from her family.[15][16] The judge sentenced Israel to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 17 years. On sentencing, Judge Soole, stated "Only you know the circumstances of your terrible deed and why you did it. You are evidently an intelligent man and have said nothing beyond the lies and the explanations which the jury has rejected."[15]

Speaking outside Reading Crown Court, Morgan's mother, Carol Morgan, said: "Give me my baby back, he knows where she is. The way I hear it he was besotted with her... if he loved her give her back up to us so I can bury my daughter."[16] Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins, expressed relief on the decision the jury had made, further expressing her sympathy for Morgan's family and also urging anyone with information on the whereabouts of Morgan's remains to contact the police.[11]

In October 2019, Hertfordshire Constabulary confirmed that they had discovered Morgan's remains in Woodland near Stevenage.[4] A dog walker found Morgan's remains wrapped in bin bags, bound with gaffer tape and covered with a mound of logs in Norton Green.[17] She was identified through DNA testing. Hertfordshire Constabulary Detective Inspector, Justine Jenkins stated that the body of Morgan "wasn't missed" during a previous search of the area by police. Morgan's funeral was held in November 2019, the service was held at Lambeth Crematorium with a large number of people in attendance, including Morgan's family.[18]

A Coroner's inquest into the nature of the death of Morgan found inconclusive evidence into the specific nature in which Morgan had died, The case pathologist could not rule out suffocation as a cause of death, potentially following milder blunt-force trauma to the head that may have rendered Morgan unconscious. Samples taken from Morgan's liver and muscles revealed the presence of MDMA although it was impossible to determine the amount to which Morgan had been taken or forced to be taken. The coroner concluded that the nature of her death "strongly suggest her death was caused by the actions of another person".[17]