Shocking new details emerge about grisly murder-suicide as it’s revealed husband stayed with his wife’s rotting body for DAYS before putting it in a furniture chest and taking his own life
- Man, 53, and woman, 48, found dead in a unit on Gold Coast on Friday morning
- The woman’s body was found inside a furniture chest inside the flat
- Police believe the male may have been the woman’s carer
- It appears he may have stayed with her body before taking his own life
- Post-mortems are expected to reveal whether she had a medical condition
The man found dead inside a Gold Coast apartment may have stayed with his partner’s dead body for days before taking his own life.
Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn said on Saturday the state of decomposition of the bodies suggests the woman likely died a week ago, with the man a few days later.
Police were called to the Sapphire unit complex in Labrador on the Gold Coast about 10.20am on Friday after a 53-year-old man was found dead.
Officers then located the body of a 48-year-old woman inside a furniture chest in the unit.
Forensic officers were seen at the scene on the Gold Coast on Friday after the suspected murder suicide of a man, 53, and woman, 48
The apparent murder-suicide happened at the upmarket Sapphire at the Broadway on the Gold Coast
‘There is some early indications of the male person being responsible for the death of the female person,’ Inspector Ahearn said.
‘Their states indicate they have been deceased for a period of time. The female is in a more advanced state than the male.
‘The male doesn’t appear to have any injuries so we are interested in the results of the post-mortem examination to give us an indication as to his cause of death.’
Inspector Ahearn said the two people, originally from Victoria, were in a de facto relationship for the past 10 years. They had lived at the Sapphire apartment building for the past three years.
‘Queensland police have not had contact with these people in that time,’ he said. ‘There are no domestic violence orders in place.’
Inspector Ahearn said the man had been identified but as the woman’s identity was not yet confirmed, details would not yet be released.
The bodies were discovered by the complex’s building manager who did a welfare check on the couple when it became clear they hadn’t been seen for days.
‘We are intent on getting answers for the family on why and how these people have died,’ Inspector Ahearn said.
Police were called to the unit in Labrador (pictured) at about 10.20am on Friday after a man was found dead. Officers then located the body of a woman at the apartment
A note was found next to the man, who died in a bedroom, and the woman’s body was found rotting in the storage unit, the Courier Mail reported.
Police are still investigating the deaths and are trying to determine if the couple had a history of domestic violence.
Residents said the man was a ‘really nice guy’ and they were shocked to hear of something so horrific happening in their neighbourhood.
‘He was always really happy and really smiley,’ she said. ‘I only knew them to say hello to but he was always lovely.’
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Residents told the publication the man was a ‘really nice guy’ and they were shocked to hear of something so horrific happening in their neighbourhood