UPDATE: 5.17pm

Police confirmed that the officer who first came to the scene and tasered Matthew Williams was a woman officer.

UPDATE: 4.52pm

Gwent AM William Graham said: “reports around the recent release of Mr Williams from prison – and an apparent lack of monitoring - are hugely worrying.

“If true, a wider inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his release is urgently required.

“It is now clear that Mr Williams posed a risk to the public and I am extremely concerned that monitoring appears to have been deemed unnecessary.

“Questions must be answered by authorities and a full explanation provided on the decisions taken in this extremely tragic case.”

UPDATE: 4.00pm

It is understood that the Sirhowy Arms Hotel serves as a temporary home for offenders who have recently been released from prison.

Argoed resident Colin McGregor, 85, said he was not surprised that someone had died because "it had been a long time coming".

"Obviously I didn't expect anything as awful as this but something was going to happen sooner or later," he said.

"Some of the residents [at Sirhowy Arms Hotel] are alright, but if you ask anyone in the village, there is always trouble with that place."

UPDATE: 3.54pm

The man who died has now been formally identified as 34-year-old Matthew Williams, who was a resident at the Sirhowy Arms Hotel in Argoed.

A spokesman for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it is independently investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr Williams and a post mortem examination is being carried out today.

He added that initial accounts have been provided by the police officers involved and it is usual procedure for the IPCC to investigate any death while in the custody of police.

UPDATE: 3.18pm

Cerys Yemm was a student at Coleg Gwent between 2008 and April 2009, studying a First Diploma in health and social care, and staff were saddened to hear the news of her death.

Principal Jim Bennett said: “Cerys left the college five years ago. It is always an extremely upsetting experience to learn of the loss of a former student. We would like to send our deepest sympathy and condolences to Cerys’ family, friends and loved ones.”

UPDATE: 2.55pm

Gwent Police press statement on Argoed incident:

UPDATE: 12.34pm

The woman who died at the scene of the incident in Argoed has been named as Cerys Marie Yemm, 22 from Blackwood.

Cerys’ family are currently being supported by specialist Gwent Police officers.

Police say the murder investigation is continuing today, officers and Crime Scene Investigators remain at the scene and they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident.

A spokesman said the post-mortem examination for Cerys will start today, although may not be complete for some time and added speculative comments about what happened and cause of death are unhelpful.

There is an increased police presence in the Argoed area at this time to reassure local residents. If anyone has concerns we would encourage them to speak to local officers.

UPDATE: 12.19pm

Gwent coroner David Bowen has been informed of the deaths.

A MURDER investigation into the death of a 22-year-old Blackwood woman is continuing today after she was allegedly murdered at an Argoed hotel.

The suspect, a man aged 34 named locally as Matthew Williams, was tasered and arrested before he became unresponsive in police custody.

A source in the village has alleged that the man had been committing an act of cannibalism.

But Gwent Police today would not confirm or deny reports of how the 22-year-old died.

Police were called to the Sirhowy Arms Hotel, in Argoed’s High Street, at 1.23am yesterday to reports of a man attacking a woman.

On arrival, the man was tasered and became unresponsive.

Officers and paramedics fought to save the man’s life but he was later pronounced dead. The woman’s body was also found at the scene.

It is unknown if the pair were staying at the hotel or if they were in a relationship, but the police did confirm the two were known to each other.

Gwent Police referred the incident surrounding the man’s death to police watchdog the Independent Police Complaints Commission at 2.55am. The IPCC confirmed it has launched an independent investigation.

IPCC investigators were immediately sent to the hotel, which is a B&B establishment used by Caerphilly County Borough Council for the temporary placement of single homeless people.

Investigators also attended the post incident procedure where the officers who attended the incident provided their initial accounts.

Argoed’s High Street was cordoned off yesterday until about 4.30pm while Gwent Police forensic officers in white overalls and IPCC investigators assessed the scene.