Bourne End: Couple named as three found dead after ‘targeted attack’ at retirement complex
Residents react with shock as police launch murder probe following discovery of bodies of man and woman in their sixties and another man in his fifties
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A couple found dead after a “targeted attack” at a retirement complex in Buckinghamshire have been pictured for the first time.
Police launched a murder probe after they were called to reports of a disturbance at a property in Spring Gardens, Bourne End, shortly before 10pm on Tuesday and found the bodies of a man and a woman in their sixties, along with another man in his fifties.
The couple have now been named locally as Susan and Jeffrey Farrance.
Thames Valley Police said the three victims were known to each other and evidence suggested a serious assault had occurred.
The Bucks Free Press said Orchard House, a Red Kite Community Housing sheltered scheme, was cordoned off after police and forensic officers arrived.
Residents reacted with shock after watching armed officers descend on the quiet village.
Eve Speight, 60, who lives on the floor where the bodies were found, described hearing a commotion before armed police began searching her home. “My husband and I were watching TV and I heard men shouting and running around then later armed police knocked on my door and they wanted to search all the rooms,” she told The Independent.
“I knew two of the people killed, Sue and Jeff. Sue was very lovely; I’d see her around the corridor and at events. They would argue sometimes but I didn’t know them that well to say anything more,” Ms Speight added. “It’s really shocking what happened; I found out this morning three people were killed – it’s a complete shock. This has never happened here; this is a very friendly area and everyone helps each other here.”
Christine Bolton, 84, said it was “such a scary thing to happen”. Speaking at the police cordon surrounding the retirement complex, she told The Independent: “I didn’t hear anything strange until armed police knocked on my door. It was a shock – they told me there had been an incident and that I should lock my door and stay inside. It’s terribly sad.”
Barbara Cooper, 80, said she “heard loud footsteps and screaming”, and that “someone in the building rang 999 around quarter to 10”. She added: “Sue and Jeff were married. She was a very sweet lady, a church-going lady, she did a lot of good for people and charities. It’s just been such a shock, bewildering; we can’t take it in really. You don’t expect to look at the news and see that.”
Ms Cooper said Sue “was a real community lady, lovely lady she was”. She said “Jeff was nice,” adding that “he had a good sense of humour. He used to just sit at his computer all day long with his email online shopping. They weren’t sick at all; it just happened, just like that”.
Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Kevin Brown, of the major crime unit, said: “We are in the very early stages of this investigation and we are dealing with a very complex inquiry, which appears a targeted attack. We are not looking for anyone else in connection with it.
“We would ask anyone who may have heard a disturbance or who may have seen anyone or anything unusual in or around Orchard House or Spring Gardens between 5pm and 10pm on 19 April to please come forward and call 101, quoting reference 2037 of 19/4/2022.”
The force said a crime scene would remain in place for a number of days and the public would see an increased police presence in the area. Orchard House comprises 59 flats and bungalows, according to the HousingCare website.
Red Kite Housing wrote on Twitter: “We are aware of an incident at one of our sheltered schemes, Orchard House in Bourne End. We are currently working with the police to help assist with their investigation.”