The body of a missing man was found on a mountainside five months after he was last seen, an inquest heard.
Keith Price, of Mill View Estate, Maesteg , was reported missing by his family on August 14, 2019. The 64-year-old had last been seen by friends and family the day before. The last sighting of Mr Price was at The Garth Inn, Maesteg, on August 13 where he was described by the landlord as "quite happy."
Five months later, on January 4, 2020, the body of Mr Price was discovered by two members of the public walking on the mountainside near St John's colliery.
An inquest into his death at Pontypridd Coroners' Court heard how Mr Price, who was a full time carer for his wife Betty, had suffered with depression and bipolar disorder and was non compliant in taking medication.
The court also heard that months before his disappearance Mr Price had suffered a mild stroke and had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes four years previously in 2015. Mr Price had no children and no family were present at the inquest on May 4, 2021. The inquest was opened on Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
Reading a witness statement on behalf of Mr Price's brother, Douglas Price, Coroner Graeme Hughes said Mr Price had been "letting himself go" in the months leading up to his disappearance and had "limited mobility" in his last years. On the day Mr Price was last seen, August 13, 2019, he had visited The Garth Inn in Maesteg where he was described by landlord Colin Howells as though he "seemed quite happy." Mr Howells noted that he remembers Mr Price's visit because the pub was not usually open at that time of day. However, it had been on August 13 in order to host a private wake.
Mr Howells said that Mr Price ordered drinks and left the pub at around 3:10pm, noting that there was "nothing unusual" about his demeanor. This was the last time Mr Price was seen and he was reported missing by family a day later.
South Wales Police published multiple appeals and carried out various lines of enquiries, but Mr Price couldn't be located, Pontypridd Coroner's Court heard.
On Saturday January 4, 2020, five months after Mr Price was last seen, human remains were found on a mountainside not far from his home by Elizabeth Jones and Gareth Rees who were walking. The court heard how Mr Rees had lost his glasses in the area a day previously and the couple had returned to look for them.
During this search, the court heard how Ms Jones noticed what looked like human remains on the mountainside. Emergency services were called and the body was later identified as that of Mr Price. In their witness statement, the couple described the location of the remains as "not an easy location" to find on the mountain.
The court heard in witness statements from PC Wayne Morgan, one of the first officers to arrive at the scene, that Mr Price was identified through a description of his clothing and the presence of magazines at the scene. A watch and a wallet continuing the ID of Mr Price were also found alongside the remains. A DNA test later confirmed the body was that of Mr Price. A post-mortem examination was carried at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff on January 21, 2020, but a cause of death could not be ascertained.
Pathologist Dr Rick Jones said that there was no sign of penetrative injury to the skull and there appeared to be no fractures to Mr Price's body. A toxicology examination was not possible due to the condition of the remains.
In the weeks leading to his disappearance Mr Price had been visited several times by the North Bridgend Community Mental Health Team. Reading a witness statement from Dr Angharad Piette, a consultant psychiatrist at the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board, the coroner said the team had been aware of Mr Price since around 2011.
On July 10, 2019, the court heard how concerns were raised for Mr Price's mental stability. The witness statement noted that Mr Price's mental health appeared to be deteriorating which was thought to have been triggered by his wife's ill health. Mr Price was visited by an occupational therapist technician on July 12 where he was prescribed a week's dose of diazepam but his demeanor "appeared bright."
After cancelling a scheduled visit by the occupational therapist on July 17, Mr Price was visited unscheduled on July 24. Dr Piette said Mr Price was described as "hostile" by the occupational health technician and was "feeling flat". On August 1, an assessment of Mr Price by the occupational health team found that there had been "no significant decline" in his mental health since his last assessment.
On August 13, the day Mr Price was last seen alive, he had called the mental health team asking for support for an upcoming GP appointment. The following day, Mr Price's family were alerted to his disappearance after Mrs Price's carers informed Mr Price's mental health technicians that he had not returned home on the 13th.
Closing the inquest, coroner Graeme Hughes said Mr Price's medical cause of death was ascertained and noted that it was "understandable" that pathologist Dr Jones was "severely debilitated" in finding a cause of death given the condition of the remains.
He ruled that it was unlikely there had been third party involvement in the death and recorded an open conclusion, offering his condolences to the family of Mr Price.
