Key Points
- The victim of the incident, a 18-year-old student named Alex James Will from Holyhead, has been identified.
- His death was confirmed by a paramedic at 11:30am on 1 November; Stuart Will confirmed the identity of the victim.
- Kate Robertson, the senior coroner for north west Wales, opened an inquest regarding the death of Alex James Will in Caernarfon on Friday, 13 November 2026.
- Preliminary cause of death was stated to be a stabbing wound in the chest area.
- The coroner suspended the proceedings of the inquest due to the fact that the death was not natural and the investigation by the North Wales Police was still on-going.
- Following the report by Welsh Ambulance Service at 03:49 GMT on 1 November, the North Wales Police initiated murder investigation.
- An arrest was made on the charge of murder; the suspect, a 61-year-old man, was released on bail.
- According to Detective Inspector Rob Mahoney, the police regarded the event as isolated and there was no threat to the public at large.
- Anyone with information was urged to contact the police using either their live webchat or 101 (quote reference O178536).
Wales (Wales Times) November 13, 2026 — An 18-year-old student found dead at a house in Holyhead has been formally named as Alex James Will, as an inquest into his death opened in Caernarfon. The hearing was told that Mr Will, from Holyhead, was discovered with an injury at his home on Morawelon Road on 1 November 2026.
As reported by WalesOnline, the senior coroner for north west Wales, Kate Robertson, said a paramedic declared Mr Will dead at 11.30am on the day he was found. His identity was confirmed by Stuart Will.
What did the inquest hear?
Ms Robertson said Mr Will was “found with an injury at home” and that emergency services attended and confirmed that he had died. She asked for a post-mortem examination to be carried out.
As reported by North Wales Live, the coroner said the provisional cause of death had been given as a “stab wound to chest”.
Ms Robertson said:
“Given that the cause of death is unnatural and there is an ongoing investigation with North uk/police/">Wales Police I am adjourning this inquest to allow those investigations to continue.”
The inquest was opened and adjourned rather than concluded. Under coronial procedure, an inquest establishes who the deceased was, and when, where and how they came by their medical cause of death; it does not determine civil or criminal liability.
Why has the inquest been adjourned?
The coroner adjourned the hearing because the preliminary cause of death was unnatural and North Wales Police were continuing an investigation. No date for the resumed inquest was given in the reports published on 13 November.
The hearing came 12 days after police were called to the property in the early hours of Sunday, 1 November.
What did police say?
North Wales Police said officers were called at 03:49 GMT on 1 November to a residential property on Morawelon Road in Holyhead by the Welsh Ambulance Service, following reports of a “medical emergency”.
As reported by the BBC, Detective Inspector Rob Mahoney said the incident was being treated as an “isolated occurrence” and that there was no ongoing risk to the broader community.
He added that there would be an increased police presence in the area while detectives investigated the circumstances.
As reported by Bayside Radio, Detective Inspector Mahoney said: “I would like to reassure the public that we are treating this as an isolated incident, and there is no ongoing threat to the wider community.”
He also said: “You will see an increased police presence in the locality over the next 24 hours as detectives continue to investigate the circumstances of this incident, and I would ask that anyone with information that could assist us makes contact via our live webchat or on 101 quoting reference O178536.”
Who has been arrested?
North Wales Police arrested a 61-year-old man on suspicion of murder following the incident. Initial reports on 1 and 2 November said the man remained in police custody.
The inquest reports published on 13 November stated that the man had later been released on bail. No further details about the man’s identity, the alleged circumstances of the death, or any charges have been reported in the available coverage.
What is known about Alex James Will?
Mr Will was described in inquest coverage as an 18-year-old student who lived in Holyhead. He was found at a home on Morawelon Road, in the Morawelon area of the town, on 1 November.
The official Cyngor Gwynedd coroner listing records an inquest for “Alex James Will – 34 years old, died Holyhead on 01/11/2026”, which differs from the age of 18 reported by WalesOnline and North Wales Live. The discrepancy has not been explained in the available reporting; this article therefore reports both the age given in the inquest coverage and the age listed in the council’s published inquest schedule.
What happens next?
The police investigation remains active, and the inquest has been adjourned to allow that work to continue. A post-mortem examination has been requested, with the provisional medical cause of death recorded as a stab wound to the chest.
No trial date, charging decision, or further police update was included in the reports available at the time of publication.
Background of the development
The case began when the Welsh Ambulance Service contacted North Wales Police at 03:49 GMT on Sunday, 1 November, reporting a medical emergency at a property on Morawelon Road in Holyhead. Officers attended the address and launched a murder investigation later that day.
A 61-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder. Detective Inspector Rob Mahoney publicly reassured residents that police regarded the incident as isolated and said there was no ongoing threat to the wider community, while an increased police presence was deployed locally during the initial investigation.
The inquest opening on 13 November provided the first public identification of the deceased as Alex James Will and disclosed the provisional cause of death. The coroner’s decision to adjourn means the formal inquest process will resume only after the criminal investigation has progressed sufficiently.
Prediction: how this development can affect the Holyhead community
For Holyhead residents, the development is likely to keep attention focused on Morawelon Road and on the police presence in the area while detectives continue their inquiries. The force’s earlier assurance that the incident was isolated and posed no ongoing wider-community threat may help address immediate concern, but the ongoing murder investigation means residents may still expect continued police activity and appeals for information.
For local students and young people, the naming of an 18-year-old student at the inquest may increase concern within peer networks and educational communities, particularly where people knew Mr Will or lived nearby. The public information currently available is limited to the inquest opening and police statements, so residents should avoid speculation and rely on official updates from North Wales Police and the coroner’s office.
For the wider Anglesey community, the case may prompt greater willingness to provide information to investigators. Police have asked anyone with relevant information to use their live webchat or call 101, quoting reference O178536.
