Richard Andrews, 49, from Melyn, Neath, was last seen in September 2017, and his body found 12 months later.
Two men arrested in connection with his death were released without charge because of a lack of evidence.
A post mortem examination did not find a cause of death, with an open verdict given at a Swansea inquest.
South Wales Police officers think Mr Andrews, known as Monkey, was murdered, and have made a fresh appeal for information.
Coroner Colin Phillips heard the father-of-two lived a "chaotic" lifestyle, losing touch with family because of drug addiction.
Initially police treated his disappearance as that of a missing person, but investigating officer Det Ch Insp David Butt said Mr Andrews had been "too scared" to return to his flat.
This was because dealers from Liverpool were using it to store drugs.
'Went overboard'
The coroner heard how three men had beaten Mr Andrews up and he once called 101, telling police he "couldn't take any more" after being assaulted in his home and having petrol poured on him.
Prior to his disappearance, members of a church food bank he visited noticed injuries to Mr Andrews' face, including two black eyes.
He later went to stay with an ex-partner, called Sheila, with DCI Butts saying somebody from Liverpool visited and said: "If I find Monkey in your flat, this blade will go down your face."
Mr Andrews told her he owed the gangsters £3,000.
Following his disappearance, a local drug dealer went to police with information potentially implicating two men in the murder - a local man, and another from Liverpool.
The inquest heard he told officers of overhearing the local man talking about the pair going to give Mr Andrews "a few slaps" and the other man "went overboard".
Recording an open verdict, Mr Phillips apologised to Mr Andrews' three sisters who attended the inquest that he could not make a definitive judgement on the cause of death, but said he hoped the inquest could bring "some closure".
After the inquest, DCI Butts said Mr Andrews was "vulnerable", and believed he was involved with people from the Liverpool area, who were dealing drugs in and around Neath and Briton Ferry.
"I believe there are people within the local community of both Neath and Briton Ferry who have significant information that will assist the investigation team and help give some answers to his family who are devastated by his death," he added.
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Richard Andrews death: He had been 'scared' of gangsters - BBC News
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