Two children found screaming in flat where father 'hanged himself after killing his wife’

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:19 PM on 10th August 2010

A horrified neighbour found the bodies of a married couple at their seaside flat after hearing their two young sons screaming.

The woman went to investigate and, finding the front door open, walked in to discover their father hanging from a ceiling rafter and his wife dead in a bedroom.

It is believed the mother had been strangled by her husband before he killed himself last night.

The two traumatised boys, both under the age of five, were tearful and running around the apartment.

The couple have not been named but are in their 30s. They had lived in the £150,000 flat in the seaside resort of Shanklin on the Isle of Wight for a year.

Their two children were today being looked after by a family friend.

The modern, two-bedroom apartment is next to Shanklin's Conservative Club.
Teams of forensic officers were today combing the cordoned-off flat for clues as a uniformed police officer stood guard outside.

Detectives were also carrying out door-to-door inquiries.

Businessman Jim Isted, who owns shop next door to the Regal Court flats, told how the woman - believed to be an employee of the company that owns the properties - heard screaming at 6pm yesterday.

Mr Isted said: ‘A neighbour heard shouting and a rumpus coming from the flat and went upstairs because she was concerned.

‘The noise was their two young children screaming and crying because they were so traumatised.

‘The front door was ajar so she walked in and directly in front of her she could see the husband’s legs dangling in the front room. He'd apparently hanged himself.

'She then went into the next room, the bedroom, where the door was also ajar and she saw the wife's legs. She was lying dead on the bed.

'The two young children were running around screaming obviously traumatised by what they had seen and she called the police.

'This is unlike anything that has happened here before.'

Detectives from Hampshire Constabulary's Major Crime Department and Isle of Wight CID are today seeking to contact next-of-kin so the bodies can be formally identified.

Post mortem examinations are due to be carried out today.

Hampshire police spokesman Duncan Smith confirmed police were called by a member of the public at 6.30pm yesterday.

Mr Smith said: 'Officers went to the address where a man and a woman, believed to be a married couple aged in their 30s, were pronounced dead.

'The death of the man is not being treated as suspicious. The circumstances surrounding the woman's death are believed to be suspicious although she has not been stabbed.

'The flat remains sealed off to allow for ongoing forensic examinations by specialist scenes of crime officers.

'Whilst retaining an open mind, detectives are not looking for anyone else suspected of being directly responsible for the deaths.

'Two young children, who are believed to be the couple's sons, were inside the flat when police arrived. They were unharmed.

'Both children are now staying at a family friend's address where they are safe and well.'

Bob Dalton, managing director of Sunny Bay Apartments, the company that owns the Regal Court flat, told how his employee stumbled upon the bodies.

He said: 'My worker went into the flat yesterday evening and saw that something was badly wrong. The couple who lived there were both dead.

'He had a noose round his neck and was hanging from a rafter.
'It is only conjecture because the police are investigating but it looked as if he had hung himself after killing her.'

Another resident, Carol Rolfe, said: 'It's a surprise. They were just a normal, ordinary, quiet couple.'

Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1301766/Husband-hanged-stabbing-wife-death-Isle-Wight-flat.html