Six Gang Members Sentenced to 157 Years for Murder of Joanne Penney
Marcus Huntley, Renaldo Baptiste, Joshua Gordon, Kristina Ginova, Melissa Quailey-Dashper, and Jordan Mills-Smith have been sentenced to a combined total of 157 years in prison for the fatal shooting of an innocent woman in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Joanne Penney was killed at Llys Illtyd, Tonyguboriau, on 9 March last year following a dispute between two gangs – one operating locally and the other from Cardiff.
During sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Fordham described Ms Penney as an "innocent victim of the drug war" and called her murder "disgraceful".
All defendants were members of a Cardiff-based drug gang called the Rico Group, which had begun operating in South Wales.
The flat in Tonyguboriau was linked to drug activity, which is why the group travelled there.
Weeks before the murder, the gang had placed a drug dealer in a flat at Llys Illtyd. The incident in Tonyguboriau was retaliation after this dealer was assaulted by a member of a rival gang.
Minimum Sentences and Roles of Defendants
On Wednesday, all six defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment for their roles in the case after being found guilty of murder.
Marcus Huntley, 22, from Cardiff, fired the gun and hid the weapon in a park in the city before fleeing.
He pleaded guilty to murder and will serve a minimum of 30 years before being eligible for parole.
Joshua Gordon, 28, the leader of the Cardiff group who remained in the car while Ms Penney was shot, must serve at least 32 years in prison.
Renaldo Baptiste, 39, who was already serving a sentence since 2022 for another murder, received the longest minimum term. He played a role in the shooting and arranged the use of the gun from his prison cell.
Baptiste must serve at least 42 years, to run concurrently with the remaining 19 years of his previous sentence.
The judge told him he will not be eligible for parole until 2068, when he will be 81 years old.
Jordan Mills-Smith, Melissa Quailey-Dashper, and Kristina Ginova were also found guilty of murder for their involvement in Joanne Penney's death.
Jordan Mills-Smith, 34, from Cardiff, was among the three who went to Llys Illtyd on the night of the murder to keep watch during the attack. He received a minimum sentence of 27 years.
Melissa Quailey-Dashper, 40, from Cardiff, knocked on the door claiming she was there to buy drugs. She will serve at least 14 years in prison.
Kristina Ginova, 22, who destroyed key evidence the day after the shooting, was sentenced to a minimum of 12 years.
Impact on Joanne Penney's Family
Joanne Penney was staying with friends in Tonyguboriau in March 2025 when she was shot after responding to a knock at the door.
The court heard statements from Joanne Penney's relatives describing their distress.
"I cannot put into words what has happened to our family," said her son, Cody Griffiths. "Losing the person who brought me into this world and gave me life in such a terrible way is something I will never come to terms with. To you, she meant nothing but to us, she was everything."
Her two daughters, both under 16, said: "How can anyone do something so cruel? We were lost, scared and fragile. We still feel that way. Now we ask why our mum was shot? Was she scared? Did she know what was happening? We cannot stop thinking about her last moments. It must have been terrifying for her and it is very painful for us to imagine. We received memory boxes but we had no memories to put in them and never will. Our dad died when we were young and now you have taken our mum – our history is gone."
Drug Gangs Using Llys Illtyd Flat for Drug Sales
Joanne Penney's mother, Sharon Penney, said the family is deeply affected and she still experiences nightmares. She said she wakes screaming and crying, only to realize it is not a nightmare but reality.
"It is hard to see the pain on the faces of my three children who have lost their sister. I am in tears every time I see them..."
She added that she has been unable to return to her own home and is living with her brother and his wife because she fears being alone and struggles with depression.
Additional Details
A man was found guilty of arranging the shooting of the woman in South Wales from his prison cell.
Four individuals were convicted of the murder of the woman who was shot.
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