AN eight-month police hunt for a missing woman which has been linked to a burnt-out car found in Abergavenny is now being treated as a murder investigation.

No trace of Charlene Hobbs, 35, has been found since she disappeared from the Adamsdown area of Cardiff last July.

But South Wales Police detectives have previously investigated a link to a burnt out red Nissan Micra found at the end of October in Abergavenny's St Helen’s Close, which had been largely repainted black.

Now they are treating her disappearance as murder, with Crimestoppers offering a £20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

A force spokesperson explained, “Since Charlene, from Riverside, was reported missing, officers have carried out a range of enquiries including searches of numerous addresses, derelict premises, vehicles, and open land areas across Cardiff and subsequently in Abergavenny.

“One of the vehicles seized is a distinctive Nissan Micra which was found in St Helen’s Close, Abergavenny, on October 29.

“The car, which was found burnt out, was originally red but had been largely painted black.”

Detective Chief Inspector Matt Powell explained, “We have always been determined to find Charlene alive and return her to her family, but despite huge number of enquiries we have no proof that Charlene is alive.”

He added, “Charlene is a mother, sister, daughter, and a friend to many. I still firmly believe that answers lie in the community, and that someone out there holds key information that will help us find Charlene."

The last confirmed sighting of Charlene was on a mobile phone photograph taken at a property in Broadway, Adamsdown, south of Cardiff at 6:07am on July 24, 2024. The day before, July 23, 2024, Charlene was seen on CCTV in Morrisons Local, Adamsdown. Her hair was in a bun, and she was wearing a dark strapless top, with a distinctive dragon tattoo visible on her back.

Crimestoppers is offering a reward of £20,000 for information.

The reward is only available for information given to Crimestoppers which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Charlene Hobbs. Information given directly to the police will not qualify.

Hayley Fry, Crimestoppers Regional Manager for Wales, said, “I am sure that there are people out there who have information about what happened to Charlene Hobbs, and I would urge them to speak to our charity 100% anonymously, to bring to justice anyone who was involved in her murder.

“We know it can be difficult for some people to speak directly to the police, which is why Crimestoppers is here for you.

“Our charity is completely independent of the police, and we’ve been passing on information about crime whilst guaranteeing anonymity since we were established decades ago. It’s a promise we have always kept.

“Crimestoppers is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We cannot trace your call or track your IP address. No one will ever know you contacted us. This means no police, no courts, no witness statements. You may think your information is insignificant; however, it could make all the difference.”