Two men have been charged with the murder of two young best friends who were tragically killed when their motorbike was allegedly struck by a BMW in a suspected hit-and-run incident in Newport.

The victims have been named locally as 19-year-old Jaydon Bowyer and his 16-year-old friend Ta-Shay Canoville. Emergency services were called to Aberthaw Road in the Alway area in the early hours of Thursday, May 7, following reports of a collision near a roundabout. Both teenagers, who were riding the motorbike with Jaydon as the driver and Ta-Shay as the pillion passenger, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Joshua Williams, 34, of no fixed abode, and Terell Case, 18, of Sandpiper Way in Duffryn, Newport, appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court on Monday, May 11, before District Judge Sophie Toms. The pair were charged with the murders of both teenagers. The court heard that the offences were so serious they could only be dealt with at the Crown Court. Neither man entered a plea during the brief hearing.

Judge Toms remanded both men into custody and ordered them to appear at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday, May 12, where their applications for bail will be considered.

The incident has shocked the local community in Newport, where the two young men were well known. Tributes have poured in for the “best friends” who had their lives cut short in what police initially treated as a fatal collision but quickly escalated into a murder investigation. Officers believe the BMW involved failed to stop at the scene, sparking a major probe by Gwent Police.

Earlier, two women — aged 24 and 40 — were arrested on suspicion of murder and a third on suspicion of assisting an offender, but they have since been released from custody with no further action.

The speed and circumstances of the collision, combined with the decision to charge the men with murder rather than causing death by dangerous driving, suggest investigators believe there may have been an element of intent or extreme recklessness. Leaving two young people dying in the road after a violent impact has deeply angered many in the tight-knit Alway community.

This case highlights ongoing concerns about road safety in residential areas of Newport, particularly during the early hours when young people are often out on two wheels. The loss of two promising lives so close in age has left families devastated and friends heartbroken. Specialist officers continue to support Jaydon and Ta-Shay’s loved ones as the judicial process moves forward.

The upcoming hearing at Cardiff Crown Court is expected to draw significant attention as the full details of that fateful night emerge. For now, a community mourns two young souls taken far too soon, while questions remain about exactly what led to this fatal confrontation on the streets of Newport.