Detectives in West Yorkshire have launched a murder investigation after a 72-year-old man from Wakefield died in hospital days after he was found unresponsive at his home.
Stephen Jedynak was taken to hospital on Wednesday 24 December after the ambulance service attended at his address in Crofton following what police described as a report of concern for his welfare. He was found unresponsive and later died on the morning of Saturday 27 December.
West Yorkshire Police said the death was referred to officers by the Coroner’s Office, prompting detectives from the force’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team to begin a murder inquiry. Police believe Mr Jedynak had been assaulted on Thorntree Court, Crofton, on Tuesday 23 December.
Announcing the investigation, Detective Chief Inspector Michael Cox said officers understood the case could worry people locally but described it as a “targeted assault” and said there was “no wider risk to the public”. He said a “thorough investigation is underway” into how Mr Jedynak came to lose his life, and that his family were being supported by specialist officers.
Police are appealing for anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Thorntree Court area around the time they believe the assault happened to come forward. Detectives are seeking information about movements in and out of the area on the Tuesday, and any incidents that may have seemed minor at the time but could now help establish a clearer picture of what happened.
The investigation has been opened after the case was flagged through the coroner-led process that can refer a death to police when there are concerns or unanswered questions that require further scrutiny. In this case, officers said that referral triggered the involvement of specialist homicide detectives, who typically lead enquiries where there is suspicion that someone has died as a result of violence.
Mr Jedynak’s death also underlines how investigations can develop over time, particularly where a person survives for a period after an alleged assault. In such cases, police inquiries may initially focus on welfare, safeguarding and establishing what happened in the hours leading up to emergency services being called, before later escalating into a major crime investigation once the death is treated as suspicious.
West Yorkshire Police has asked anyone with information to contact them online or by calling the non-emergency number 101, quoting the reference 13250747179. The force’s contact guidance states that 101 is used for non-emergency enquiries, while emergencies should be reported by calling 999.
Detectives have also highlighted the option of reporting information anonymously through the charity Crimestoppers, which operates a 24-hour phone line on 0800 555 111 and an online reporting service. Crimestoppers says it is independent of police and that anonymity is “100% guaranteed”, encouraging people who may be fearful of coming forward to share what they know.
Police have not released details of any arrests, nor have they set out publicly what injuries Mr Jedynak suffered or precisely how the alleged assault unfolded. They have also not said what they believe the motive may have been, beyond describing it as targeted. The force has not named any suspects or indicated whether they are looking for a specific individual or vehicle connected to the incident.
The Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, which is leading the inquiry, is responsible for investigating the most serious offences across the force area, supported by specialist staff including analysts and investigators working within major incident structures. Those teams are typically deployed when cases require extensive evidence-gathering, detailed timeline reconstruction and coordination across multiple lines of inquiry.
In his appeal, DCI Cox urged anyone who had been in the area, or who might have relevant information, to contact detectives, stressing that seemingly small details could become important when piecing together events. Police are seeking information from residents, visitors and anyone travelling through Crofton at the time, particularly if they noticed disturbances, unusual sounds, or anything out of character for the area.
The investigation is ongoing.
