Two More Arrested in Connection with Death of Ian Watkins, Former Lostprophets Singer Killed in Prison Attack

West Yorkshire, England — Two additional inmates have been arrested in connection with the death of Ian Watkins, the former Lostprophets frontman who was attacked and killed earlier this month while serving a lengthy sentence for multiple child sex offenses.

According to West Yorkshire Police, the two men — aged 23 and 39 — were arrested at HMP Wakefield, the high-security prison where Watkins was being held at the time of his death. Authorities confirmed that the men were detained on suspicion of conspiracy to murder and will be interviewed before being bailed and returned to prison pending further investigation.

“Extensive inquiries remain ongoing in relation to the murder of Ian Watkins, and these arrests form part of that,” said DCI James Entwistle of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team.
“Ian Watkins’ family are being updated as the investigation progresses. However, we do not anticipate any immediate developments at this stage.”

The arrests come just over a week after Rashid Gedel, 25, and Samuel Dodsworth, 43, were charged with murder in connection to Watkins’ killing at HMP Wakefield on October 11.

Emergency services were called to the prison that day after the Welsh musician was attacked with a knife. Despite efforts to save him, Watkins was pronounced dead at the scene.

Former Lostprophets Singer Killed in Prison Attack

Following the attack, a Prison Service spokesperson confirmed an incident had occurred but declined to provide further comment while police investigations were underway.

This was not the first violent incident involving Watkins behind bars. In August 2023, he was stabbed and briefly held hostage by fellow inmates, though his injuries were described as non-life-threatening.

Watkins, once a prominent figure in the U.K. rock scene, rose to fame as the lead vocalist of Lostprophets, whose 2006 album Liberation Transmission topped the British charts.

In 2013, he pleaded guilty to 13 charges, including conspiring to rape a child, sexual assault of minors, and possessing indecent images of children. His crimes were described by prosecutors as among the most shocking in modern British legal history. Watkins’ appeal to reduce his sentence was rejected in 2014.

The investigation into his death remains ongoing, with police continuing to examine potential links between inmates and the motive behind the fatal attack.

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