Ex-Met Detective Lied About Wife's Death in Barbados

A former Metropolitan Police detective, Warren Arter, provided conflicting accounts of his wife Rebekah's death in a Barbados hotel room in June 2024. The circumstances surrounding Rebekah Arter's death, aged 47, have not been properly investigated by either Barbados authorities or the Metropolitan Police. Warren Arter died by suicide in HMP Wandsworth after being arrested for allegedly abusing another woman.

Unexplained Death and Lack of Investigation

Hotel staff called to the room after Warren Arter reported his wife was unwell found Rebekah Arter already deceased. Staff members reported that Arter provided differing explanations for his wife's collapse, suggesting she had choked, fallen and hit her head, or that he had simply woken to find her dead. Evidence was not secured at the scene, and vital forensic tests were not undertaken. A pathologist in Barbados reportedly performed an autopsy where Rebekah's organs were described as being "chopped up". The cause of Rebekah Arter's death remains unknown, with a UK coroner recording an open verdict.

Rebekah's family have stated that the Metropolitan Police failed her. Despite a request for assistance from the family, the Met did not send detectives to Barbados. The force stated to the BBC that this decision was made because no allegation of criminality had been made at that time. A senior Met Gold Command boss was briefed about the incident four days after Rebekah's death, in light of Arter's alleged past offending, but this did not result in officers travelling to the island.

Arter's Past Conduct and Final Days

Warren Arter, 54, had a history of misconduct within the Metropolitan Police. He had been investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over his conduct towards eight alleged victims, but he was never convicted. During a seven-year suspension, Arter continued to receive his full salary as a detective inspector before his dismissal in 2023 for drug offences. He had initially met Rebekah after she reported domestic abuse to the Met in 2006, subsequently pursuing a relationship with her. Hotel staff in Barbados described Arter as appearing "controlling" and noted that Rebekah frequently appeared "intoxicated", with staff suspecting Arter was "drugging" her. Days after returning from Barbados and following his arrest for alleged abuse of another woman, Arter took his own life in HMP Wandsworth.

The BBC has seen video evidence of Rebekah Arter subjected to sexual and domestic abuse, coercive control, and drugging by Warren Arter over more than a decade. Some hotel staff who witnessed Arter's behaviour before and after Rebekah's death expressed concern about his actions, including an attempt to leave for a street party shortly after his wife was found. One security guard stated that Arter's explanations for what happened kept changing and that he appeared to be crying "crocodile tears".