Drag queen’s final actions on CCTV after encounters with three males and a canine

WARNING, DISRESSING CONTENT: Police have pieced together the final hours of Darren Meah-Moore, a well-known drag performer who was found dead in a Cardiff city centre lane

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Hundreds of hours of CCTV footage have helped officers piece together the final movements of a drag performer who was found dead in a city centre alleyway.

The recordings showed how Darren Meah-Moore had previously interacted with two separate men during the evening, vanishing from sight each time before re-emerging, then failing to resurface following an encounter with a third individual.

The 39-year-old was discovered in an alleyway near Windsor Place and Park Lane in Cardiff city centre on Sunday, January 22, 2023. The opening day of the inquest into his death heard how he was a well-known drag performer who had taken to the stage under the names CC Quinn, Crystal Coutoure and Dolly Diamond.

The performer, who lived in Newport, entertained audiences in venues throughout south Wales, England and internationally, with a routine which would see him regularly share jokes and amusing anecdotes, and perform numbers by Tina Turner and Amy Winehouse.

CCTV recordings and witness testimonies have revealed Mr Meah-Moore entered the alleyway where he was subsequently found dead with a man, who cannot be identified due to a reporting restriction order imposed by the court, reports Wales Online.

The second day of the inquest heard evidence from the man who described a sordid sexual encounter involving his pet dog.

South Wales Police detective superintendent Paul Raikes provided testimony on the third day of the inquest. He took over senior investigating officer duties when beginning his shift on Monday, January 23.

He detailed how, at the time, there was “clearly concern and suspicion of the nature of the death” and a potential homicide, due to the location where Mr Meah-Moore was discovered down the lane, blood found at the scene, and cardboard covering his body being a “possible method of concealment.”

He outlined that, alongside scene of crime examination, the investigation concentrated on securing “hundreds of hours” of CCTV, which was gathered to trace Mr Meah-Moore’s movements on the Saturday evening.

It followed him journeying on the train from his home in Newport to Cardiff, and monitored his movements as he visited the Golden Cross, the Cambrian Tap, Proud Marys, Main Stage and Popworld.

It then recorded him outside for a period of time, before interacting with an unknown man, and vanishing out of view for 37 minutes. The officer said it was not possible to establish what happened during this time.

Mr Meah-Moore was then later seen re-emerging on CCTV at 2.23am, on his own, and heading towards Pulse nightclub, where he remained until 4.51am.

The inquest was told he entered Park Lane with an unknown man, before disappearing out of sight from the camera for seven minutes, and then reappearing with the same man, walking back down onto Queen Street and going their separate ways.

DS Raikes told the inquest that he could “confidently say” that Mr Meah-Moore appeared uninjured and unharmed when he emerged from the lane, and socialised for some time with others on Queen Street. The last sighting of the man was captured on CCTV, showing him interacting with another individual, who cannot be identified, before they both disappeared down a lane.

This was the final time he was seen alive before his body was discovered.

DS Raikes discussed the physical evidence found at the scene, including Mr Meah-Moore’s clutch bag and personal items, which included a mobile phone and just over £200 in cash. He stated that these findings “negated” the theory that theft or robbery could have been a motive for the incident.

An external pathological examination was conducted on Mr Meah-Moore at the location, before his body was transported to the mortuary for further investigation.

The court heard that traces of semen, both human and non-human, were detected. A DNA sample from the dog belonging to the man who accompanied Mr Meah-Moore down the lane matched the sample.

Mr Raikes noted there were no signs of restraint or injury to areas typically associated with an assault.

“His ears, nose, mouth, structure of the neck were not injured or damaged in any way,” he said.

“There were no defence injuries and no bruising present to hands that might suggest defence injury.”

The inquest was informed that Mr Meah-Moore had a known allergy to dogs, which could have triggered some sensitivity and potentially an allergic reaction when around them.

Following the incident, the man who was seen entering the lane with Mr Meah-Moore was identified as a suspect, leading to his arrest and subsequent statement.

A subsequent statement was given after it emerged that Mr Meah-Moore had been in contact with a dog.

DS Raikes revealed that specialist guidance was obtained from an animal behaviourist during their inquiry, through liaison with the National Crime Agency, which was unable to reference any similar previous cases for comparison.

The hearing was told by an expert that it was “highly unlikely” this was the dog’s first involvement in such activity, contradicting testimony from its owner who claimed it was.

The coroner’s court heard the man had declined police demands to surrender his dog for examination, which officers regarded as a “cause for concern”.

It was revealed that two mobile phones seized from the man’s residence were not analysed during the investigation, something DS Raikes called “unfortunate.”

The inquest continues.