Prisoner Guilty of Planning Talbot Green Murder from His Cell
Conviction in Drug-Related Killing
Prisoner guilty of planning Talbot Green – Renaldo Baptiste, a man who had previously been jailed for murder, has been found guilty of arranging the fatal shooting of Joanne Penney in Talbot Green, south Wales, through a secret “prison phone” during his incarceration. The verdict marks the conclusion of a second trial, which centered on the role of Baptiste in the incident. He was one of five individuals convicted in connection with the killing, which occurred in March 2025 as part of a violent dispute between two rival drug gangs in the area.
Background of the Turf War and the Attack
The murder of Joanne Penney was the result of a conflict between competing drug networks operating in south Wales. At the time of the incident, a Cardiff-based gang had placed a dealer at 10 Llys Illtyd in Talbot Green to sell narcotics, triggering resentment from another group. The dispute escalated when the Cardiff gang’s members were reportedly “confronted and humiliated,” prompting a plan for retaliation. Marcus Huntley, a Cardiff drug dealer, led the attack with his friend Jordan Mills-Smith and Melissa Quailey-Dashper, who was paid in crack cocaine to initiate contact with Penney.
“Leg shots only.”
— Jordan Mills-Smith, as quoted during the trial, describing the target of the shooting.
Huntley and Mills-Smith, who were in a nearby car with Joshua Gordon, executed the plan. Penney was shot through the heart, leading to her death. The trial revealed that Huntley had arranged for a .38 Smith & Wesson pistol and “10 sweets,” a slang term for bullets, to be delivered to Talbot Green. Baptiste, who had been incarcerated since 2022 for a minimum of 25 years after killing a man linked to his drug supply chain, claimed he was unaware of the gun’s acquisition.
Prison Phone and Organized Crime Ties
Baptiste used a concealed prison phone to supply the weapon used in Penney’s murder. He testified that he acted as a “middleman” for Joshua Gordon, facilitating drug transactions if Gordon ran short of supplies. According to his account, he sourced the firearm via prison lines and sent it to the scene of the crime. Baptiste also admitted to being part of an organized crime gang named Rico, which distributed crack and cocaine across south Wales.
“I didn’t know someone had died until I read it online.”
— Renaldo Baptiste, explaining his lack of awareness about Penney’s fate during the trial.
He further stated that the term “leg shots” referred to a half-gram quantity of cocaine rather than targeting specific body parts. Despite this, the jury found him guilty of orchestrating the attack. Baptiste’s testimony highlighted the complex network of organized crime that spanned prison and the streets, with members collaborating remotely to execute violent acts.
Other Convictions and Trial Evidence
Five others had already been convicted of Penney’s murder during a trial earlier this year. These included Huntley, Mills-Smith, and Gordon, who were implicated in the initial planning. Quailey-Dashper, from Leicester, was paid to knock on Penney’s door, which she did before the shooting. After the incident, two vehicles returned to Leicester, where panic erupted among the gang members, culminating in a series of frantic WhatsApp group calls over four hours and four minutes on the night of 9 March 2025.
The trial also uncovered evidence of a coordinated effort to erase traces of the crime. Huntley, seeking to avoid detection, buried a converted starter pistol and ammunition in a park near his Cardiff home. Days later, he was arrested on a National Express coach by armed police, who intercepted him while he traveled to Leicester. His mother, Donna James, denied helping with the crime, claiming she “found out afterwards” and had “nothing to do with this.” James, who once played for Arsenal Women until age 17, admitted to a troubled relationship with her son and acknowledged her addiction to crack cocaine, along with health issues like fibromyalgia and Ménière’s disease.
Aftermath and Sentencing
Following the arrests, the court has scheduled sentencing for all 11 members of the organized crime gang involved in the case. This includes Baptiste, Huntley, Mills-Smith, Gordon, Quailey-Dashper, and the remaining defendants who were convicted in the first trial. The details of the shooting, including the use of a hidden weapon and the gang’s internal communication, underscore the lengths to which members went to maintain their operations.
Mills-Smith fled Wales to his father’s home in Suffolk but required assistance from his mother and girlfriend to purchase a coach ticket to London. His mother, Donna James, testified that she had no prior knowledge of the attack, though she admitted to being involved in her son’s criminal activities. The court presented telephone banking records and email evidence confirming the purchase of the ticket from Cardiff’s Sophia Gardens, linking the gang’s members to the crime.
Impact of the Case on the Gang’s Operations
The murder of Penney has intensified scrutiny of the rival drug gangs in south Wales, highlighting their aggressive tactics to assert dominance. The incident occurred in a location where one gang had recently established a foothold, only to face opposition from an established group. Baptiste’s role as a prison-based coordinator illustrates the blurred lines between incarceration and criminal activity, with inmates leveraging technology to influence street-level violence.
The trial also emphasized the gang’s use of coded language, such as “leg shots,” to obscure their intentions. While Baptiste argued that the term pertained to drug quantities, the evidence suggested it was a deliberate way to mislead. The case has drawn attention to the interconnected nature of organized crime, where members operate both inside and outside prison, forming alliances to achieve common goals. With the full extent of the gang’s activities now exposed, the sentencing will likely reflect the severity of their collective involvement in the attack.
Broader Implications for Organized Crime in Wales
The Talbot Green killing has become a symbol of the escalating violence between drug factions in the region. As the gang members face justice, the case serves as a reminder of the consequences of organized crime. The prison phone’s role in the attack also raises questions about how correctional facilities can be used as tools for criminal planning, further complicating efforts to rehabilitate offenders.
With 11 individuals now convicted in relation to Penney’s murder, the sentencing phase will determine the fate of the gang’s leadership. The trial has provided a detailed account of the events leading up to the shooting, including the strategic use of communication and the involvement of multiple accomplices. This case underscores the importance of thorough investigations in exposing the hidden networks of organized crime, even when perpetrators operate from behind bars.
