In a heartbreaking new twist in the investigation into the deaths of best friends Jaydon Bowyer and Ta-Shay Canoville, detectives are urgently analysing a panicked voice message sent by one of the teenagers just minutes before their motorbike was allegedly smashed off the road by a BMW in a suspected deliberate hit-and-run.

The audio, described by sources as “chilling” and “desperate”, reportedly captures a frightened young voice saying words to the effect of: “They found us… they’re coming.” The message, sent via a popular messaging app, has become central to the murder probe as officers try to establish who the teen was referring to and whether the boys knew they were being hunted in the moments leading up to the fatal collision.

The tragedy, which has devastated families and shocked the community of Newport in South Wales, saw 19-year-old Jaydon Bowyer and his 16-year-old friend Ta-Shay Canoville killed in the early hours of May 7 when their motorbike was struck near a roundabout on Aberthaw Road in the Alway area. Both boys were pronounced dead at the scene.

Now, the emergence of this final voice note has raised the terrifying possibility that the teenagers were being actively pursued, turning what first appeared to be a tragic road traffic collision into an even darker tale of pursuit and alleged murder.

Best Friends Taken Too Soon

Jaydon Bowyer, 19, and Ta-Shay Canoville, 16, were described by loved ones as “best of mates” — inseparable young men full of life, hopes, and dreams for the future. Growing up in the Alway and Ringland suburbs of Newport, the pair shared a bond forged through school, local adventures, and teenage friendship.

Tributes have poured in since the devastating crash. Family and friends remember Jaydon as a charismatic, protective older figure with a bright smile and a love for motorbikes. Ta-Shay, the younger of the two, was often seen as energetic, kind-hearted, and full of potential. Photos circulating online show the pair laughing together, posing on bikes, and enjoying typical teenage moments — images that now feel painfully poignant.

One family friend told Daily Mail: “They were just kids. Best friends who should have had their whole lives ahead of them. Now two families are destroyed.”

The Fatal Collision

Emergency services were called to Aberthaw Road at around 1:40am on Thursday, May 7, following reports of a collision between a motorbike and a car. The BMW allegedly struck the motorbike before fleeing the scene, leaving the two teenagers dying in the road. Paramedics could do nothing to save them.

Gwent Police launched a murder investigation, treating the incident as deliberate. In the days that followed, three people were arrested: an 18-year-old man and a 40-year-old woman on suspicion of murder, and a 24-year-old woman on suspicion of assisting an offender. More recently, two men — Terell Case, 18, and Joshua Williams, 34 — have been charged with murder and are due to appear in court.

But it is the recovered voice message that has sent the investigation into overdrive.

The Panicked Voice Note

Sources close to the probe say one of the teenagers — it is not yet clear which — sent a voice message to a friend or group chat in the minutes before the crash. The audio, captured in a hurried, breathless tone, allegedly includes the words “They found us…” followed by sounds of distress and movement.

Detectives are now working with audio forensic experts to enhance the clip, analyse background noise, and determine the exact context. Was it a reference to a gang feud, a personal dispute, or something else entirely? The message raises the terrifying prospect that the boys were actively being chased or targeted that night.

A senior source said: “This voice note suggests fear. Real fear. These weren’t two lads simply out for a late-night ride. One of them sounds genuinely scared that someone had located them. That changes the complexion of the entire case.”

Police are appealing for anyone who received messages from either Jaydon or Ta-Shay in the hours before the crash to come forward immediately.

A Community Demanding Answers

The Alway area of Newport, a tight-knit working-class community, has been plunged into mourning. Floral tributes, teddy bears, and handwritten notes now line the roadside where the boys were found. Vigils have been held, with hundreds turning out to remember the two friends.

One local resident told Daily Mail: “You see kids on bikes around here all the time. This has shaken everyone. The idea that they were running from someone… it’s every parent’s nightmare.”

GoFundMe pages set up for the families have raised thousands of pounds, with donors describing the boys as “angels taken too soon.” Heartfelt messages highlight their kindness, humour, and the bright futures stolen from them.

The Investigation: From Hit-and-Run To Murder Probe

Gwent Police have confirmed they are treating the deaths as murder. The recovery of the voice message adds significant weight to the theory that the collision was no accident. Officers are examining CCTV from the surrounding area, dashcam footage from passing vehicles, and phone data from the victims and suspects.

Forensic teams have been meticulously examining the motorbike and the scene for evidence of impact, paint transfer from the BMW, and any other clues. The vehicle believed to have been involved has not yet been publicly recovered, though arrests suggest significant progress.

The fact that the boys were riding together late at night is not unusual for teenagers in the area, but the voice note suggests there may have been a specific reason they were out — possibly fleeing trouble or meeting someone.

Families Left Devastated

Both families have been assigned specialist officers and are being supported through what detectives have called an “incredibly difficult time.” Relatives have made emotional appeals for information, with some privately expressing frustration at the speed with which the suspects allegedly fled the scene, leaving the boys for dead.

A family member of one of the boys said in a statement: “Jaydon and Ta-Shay were best friends. They looked out for each other. The thought that someone could do this deliberately and then run away is beyond evil. We just want justice for our boys.”

What Led To That Terrifying Final Message?

Investigators are piecing together the boys’ final movements. Where had they been that evening? Who had they been in contact with? The phrase “They found us” implies a sense of being hunted — possibly linked to local rivalries, social media disputes, or personal conflicts that escalated dramatically.

Police have not ruled out any possibilities, including gang-related tensions common in some urban areas, though friends insist both boys were not involved in serious crime.

Digital experts are also examining social media accounts, Snapchat logs, and other messaging apps for any threats or warnings sent or received in the days leading up to the tragedy.

Voices of a Generation Lost

The deaths of Jaydon and Ta-Shay have sparked wider conversations about youth safety, road crime, and the dangers facing teenagers in Britain today. Motorbikes, often a symbol of freedom for young men, have in this case become associated with tragedy.

Community leaders have called for calm while urging anyone with information to speak to police. “These were someone’s sons, brothers, and friends,” one local pastor said at a vigil. “Their voices were silenced too soon — but that last message may yet speak for them.”

The Long Road To Justice

As the investigation continues, the two men charged with murder are due to appear in court. The voice message will likely form a key part of any future trial, potentially providing powerful emotional evidence of the fear the boys experienced in their final moments.

For now, the people of Newport mourn. Yellow and black ribbons — the boys’ favourite colours — flutter at memorials. Parents hold their children a little tighter. And two families face a future forever altered by a crash that may have been no accident at all.

The panicked voice note sent minutes before impact may be the key that unlocks the full horror of what happened that night. “They found us…” — three simple words that could change everything.

Gwent Police continue to appeal for witnesses, especially anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage from the area between midnight and 2am on May 7. A dedicated incident room has been set up, and officers have promised to leave no stone unturned.

Jaydon Bowyer and Ta-Shay Canoville were best friends enjoying their youth. Their lives were cut tragically short. If the voice message is what detectives believe it to be, then someone made the decision to end those lives — and then drove away into the night.

The search for justice is only just beginning.