A 79-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of murdering her 82-year-old husband after he was found dead at their bungalow.
The pensioner, named locally as Mavis Eccleston, was arrested on Wednesday after the man, named by neighbours as Kenneth, was found the previous day.
He was discovered in their bungalow in Raven Close, Cannock, Staffordshire and it is believed he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The cul-de-sac where he was found has a mixture of bungalows, detached and semi-detached houses.
This is the bungalow in Cannock, Staffordshire, where an 82-year-old man was found dead. His wife, 79, was arrested on suspicion of murder but has since been released
The pensioner, named locally as Mavis Eccleston, was arrested on Wednesday after the man, named by neighbours as Kenneth, was found the previous day
There was a police presence outside the property for a number of days whilst forensics examined the scene.
Mavis Eccleston has since been released as police continue to investigate the circumstances around the death.
Mr Eccleston, who is also known as Dennis, is a former pitman at the Middleton gravel pit.
He was believed to have had terminal bowel cancer and was known as a quiet man who loved tending to the garden of their bungalow, according to neighbours.
It is thought the pair lived in Raven Close for more than 20 years and have at least three grown up children who have since moved away.
Neighbour Suzie Templeman, 44, said: ‘This is shocking news. It is a nice leafy neighbourhood and for this to happen, it is shocking.
‘We never really saw Dennis much. I think he had a son.’
One resident said: ‘It is his wife who is the only suspect, police didn’t disclose anything – it was in-house, she is the only suspect.’
It is believed the dead man had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Neighbours spoke of their shock following the incident
Another neighbour added: ‘She was a bit shouty, if anybody had deliveries she would be on the doorstep shouting.
‘I hardly ever saw him, they loved gardening, they were both fully mobile.’
Another neighbour said: ‘Police were there on Thursday morning, when I got up about 10 o’clock there was a car sat on the drive with an officer in it and no movement.
‘Yesterday lunchtime a forensics van pulled up. We never saw much of him, he was quite a quiet chap.
‘Like any pensioners they would go once a week shopping, get the car out of the garage and come back.
‘Other than that they rarely left the house.
There was a police presence outside the property for a number of days whilst forensics examined the scene
‘He used to do the garden but in the last 12 months he had someone doing it as he lost a lot of strength – in the last few months he got old quick.
‘He was quite a robust fella.
‘She used to stand at the end of the cul-de-sac at 5am waving her stick.’
Lee Ford, 49, who lives near to the bungalow, said: ‘She is cuckoo, I have lived here for two years and I have just ignored her.
‘Last summer on some mornings she was outside pointing her stick, saying, “I am keeping an eye on you”.
‘She is an old lady so you say, “yeah, whatever”.
‘The husband, I was told he had cancer but he seemed fit and able to me – he kept the garden pristine.
‘Police were outside the house for three days and nights and CID were knocking on every door.
‘She walks with a stick, he can hardly walk – it is shocking.
‘They have a kid but they very rarely come, I would say they have a son or daughter.’
A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: ‘Following the death of an 82-year-old man from Cannock on Tuesday (20), we arrested a 79-year-old woman from Cannock on suspicion of murder on Wednesday.
‘The woman has since been released under investigation as we investigate the circumstances of the man’s death further.
‘Specially trained officers are providing advice and support to the family at this difficult time.’
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