‘Someone knows what happened in those woods’ Detectives offer £20,000 in hunt for killer of Ernest Konrad Deputat

Living off-grid, Ernest was only spotted when he popped in for a cup of tea at his local church board games night put on in an effort to keep the homeless community sober.

The 45-year-old was popular and well-liked in both Southampton’s Polish and homeless communities.

But just days after his last visit to church, the 45-year-old’s remains were discovered by a hiker lying next to a campfire in a wildlife reserve on October 8.

Now a reward of up to £20,000 is being offered to help solve the murder on Southampton Common.

The 365 acres of ‘The Common’ contain woods, long grass and extensive wetlands and are a much-loved and well-used green open space in the center of the city.

Ernest’s body was discovered just north of the Ornamental Lake an area popular with runners and dogwalkers.

At this time, no suspects or motive have been established with police asking for witnesses for weeks before his remains were found.

Paul Woodman of City Life Church told the Daily Echo the death of Ernest is a ‘painful reminder’ that no one should be left homeless.

He said: ‘I am very saddened to hear of the death of Ernest Deputat, and my thoughts are with his family and all who knew him.

‘I remember Ernest visiting our new Night Light café.

‘We share a responsibility across our whole community to ensure people are not facing homelessness alone, and I am committed to our churches continuing to work alongside others in Southampton to offer practical help, belonging, and hope.’

Beth Simpson, from the charity Crimestoppers, said: ‘Someone knows what happened in that woodland.

‘We’re appealing to members of the public, including those who may feel nervous about contacting the police, to speak up through Crimestoppers. You can stay completely anonymous – even if you were to collect a cash reward.

‘We never ask for your name and we cannot trace your call, your device or your location.

‘This reward is there to encourage anyone with information to tell us what they know and to ensure justice is served for the man whose life ended in such a tragic way.’

Locals have expressed concerns about the lack of CCTV and usual bike patrols as they ask police whether the common is safe to walk in with the killer on the loose.

District Commander Charlie Ilderton urged the public to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity in the area.

He said: ‘I want to reassure those who use Southampton Common that our teams and officers are working hard to ensure it is a safe place for all to use and visit, both during the day and of an evening.

‘We have increased patrols in the area, and these will continue over the weeks.’