Double Suicide by Elderly Couple

          

"The way this world is going is not for us": Elderly couple left heartbreaking note before double suicide

Mirror

Sarah Ward4 hrs ago

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© Mirror The site of the elderly couple's suicide. An elderly married couple drove to a secluded beauty spot and toasted their last moments together with wine before gassing themselves in a double suicide, an inquest heard.
A dog walker taking an early morning stroll in a National Trust estate came across the couple's Nissan Micra car parked in dense woodland with its engine still running and a hosepipe fed through the driver's window.
Police arrived and found Kathleen Howell and her husband David in a final embrace, surrounded by wine bottles and spirits and with a tumbler on the dashboard of the tiny car.
Paramedics declared them both dead at the scene and a search of their home revealed the fridge had been emptied and the freezer defrosted, with all electrical goods unplugged and manuals placed with them - and a note instructing all items to be donated to charity.
The couple had meticulously prepared their home to be discovered after their death and had left a note asking neighbours at the sheltered accommodation to feed a stray cat they had taken in.
Notes revealed details of their solicitors and that direct debit accounts had been cancelled and council tax and rent paid up in advance.
Police constable Laura Briant said: "David was in the driver's seat with his head tipped back and with his left arm around Kathleen.
She was slumped across the car towards him. There were numerous bottles of alcohol, wine and spirits and there was a tumbler glass set on the dashboard and a Minidisc player."
A coroner heard that a letter sent to Mr Howell's nephew, John, read: "Dear John and Lesley, by the time you get this we will be long gone. We hope you don't think too badly of us. The way this world is going is not for us. Have a good Christmas. Love from Dave and Kathy."
A post-mortem examination revealed the couple had both drunk alcohol, but a cause of death was given as carbon monoxide poisoning.
Their GP, Dr Robert Songhurst, wrote in a statement that Mr Howell, aged 73 years, had an operation on his leg months before, and Mrs Howell suffered from rheumatoid arthritis.
The pair were both due to be seen for hospital appointments.
Mrs Howell, aged 72 years, had worked as a warden at a care home, where the couple later lived, at Compass Point, Northchurch, Berkhampsted, Herts.
Her husband was a retired oil pipeline welder but investigators could not establish how long they had been married.
Both their elderly mothers were still alive at the time of the double suicide but they had few surviving relatives.
The report written by Pc Briant stated: "All police investigations have indicated that sadly, and with impeccable planning, Mr and Mrs Howell took their own lives, with no foul play or third party involvement."
They were found on a public bridleway on Northchurch Common, Berkhampsted, part of a 5,000-acre National Trust estate, Ashridge, in a scenic part of the Chilterns, on October 13 last year.
Coroner Geoffrey Sullivan said: "The evidence to my mind points to a conclusion of suicide .
"They meticulously put their affairs in order with the details of the solicitor to contact, their wishes as to funeral arrangements and they clearly cleaned the house and sent a letter to their nephew outlining what they were going to do.
"It was what they wanted to do and they did it together."
A conclusion of suicide was recorded at Hatfield Coroner's Court today.
Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org .