Family of four, including children aged nine and one, found dead in a bedroom killed in 'murder-suicide' NOT by carbon monoxide

-Parents and two boys dead in tragedy in Pudsey, West Yorkshire
-The bedroom where bodies were found was fire-damaged
-Nobody is being sought in connection with the deaths
-Family friend names the dead as Richard and Clair Smith and their children Ben, nine, and Aaron, one

By Graham Smith


Distraught: Cheryl Heights (left) and Sara Turnbull bring flowers to lay at the street in Pudsey, Leeds, where a family of four was found dead yesterday. Police have launched a murder inquiry


Police today launched a murder inquiry after the bodies of two adults and two boys were found in a house.

The bodies of Richard and Clair Smith were found in an upstairs bedroom of their home in Pudsey, near Leeds, along with their two sons Ben and Aaron.

Emergency services were called to a quiet cul-de-sac late yesterday afternoon when family members made the grim discovery.

Detectives are thought to be working on the theory that the deaths were a case of murder-suicide. No one else is being sought.

West Yorkshire Police said the bedroom where the bodies were found was fire-damaged.


Tributes: The bouquets were laid outside the house which was cordoned off with police tape

Family friend Sarah Wilson and an unidentified youth leave after placing flowers near the house


They said they had found the bodies of two adults - a 37-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman - and two boys aged nine and one. They were named locally today.

Part of Sheridan Way where the house is located was initially cordoned off amid fears that dangerous chemicals might be present.

Detective Superintendent Paul Taylor of the West Yorkshire Police homicide and major inquiry team said: 'Initially, we had concerns regarding the release of harmful chemicals or gases.

'Following testing, we no longer have any concerns with regards to those working at the scene and we will continue our investigations today.


Investigation: Forensic teams work at the house today after the family was found in a bedroom last night

Cul-de-sac: Detectives are thought to be working on the theory that the deaths were a case of murder-suicide. No one else is being sought


'Inquiries are at an early stage and I would ask anyone with information about the incident to contact the homicide and major inquiry team.'

Neighbours said the Smiths were an ordinary family who had been living in the modern stone-built house for only a few months.

Paul Grimley, who lives nearby, told the Daily Mail: ‘I knew the father very well. A real great guy, lived for his sons. So, so sad.’

Family friend Sara Turnbull was in tears as she left flowers at the police cordon outside the property.

The message on her bouquet said: 'You were such a beautiful family. All our love to you. We can't believe you are all gone.'


Tragedy: Neighbours described the father found dead as a 'great guy'

Tragedy: The bodies of two adults and two boys were found in the property


Her husband Dean said the families had known each other for 15 years and been on a number of holidays together.

He said he had not seen Mr and Mrs Smith for a while but bumped into them again recently.

Mr Turnbull said: 'We can't take it in. All we know is they are a lovely family, lovely two kids and we're in shock.

'We hadn't seen them for a while but we saw them last week. I went out for a drink a week or so ago and I saw Richard and Clair out.

'I said we'll come round and see you, we haven't seen you for a while.

'We went to their new house and it was superb. Brilliant. We really enjoyed ourselves.'

Mr Turnbull said: 'There was no sense of any problems.'


Sealed off: Emergency workers in protective clothing prepare to enter the house last night. Officers initially thought the family might have died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning


Under watch: An officer guards the property in the early hours of this morning

Mr Smith's cousin Gary Tempest added: 'It is so unbelievable this has happened. They were the perfect family.'

Asked whether Mr Smith could have hurt his family, Mr Tempest said: 'I don't believe that for a minute. He thought the world of them.'

He said his cousin was football mad and had no money worries. He said they both had good jobs.

'I've known Richard all my life. There's never been any bad things - arguing or anything.'

It is understood that concerned family members discovered the bodies yesterday and chemical concerns were raised after a mystery residue was found on the bedroom wall by police.

Mr Smith worked for a shopfitting firm.

Police and scientific support officers were at the scene this morning. The house, which has an integral garage, has a broken lounge window - the only other sign of anything out of the ordinary.

A police spokesman said officers were called to the house at about 5.30pm yesterday.

The tragedy comes just days after a police officer who had been dismissed by his force attacked his family before apparently killing himself.

Toby Day is thought to have killed his primary school teacher wife Samantha and youngest daughter Genevieve, six, in a frenzied attack at their home just days after he was sacked by Leicestershire Police.

He also attacked their other children Kimberley, 15, and Adam, 13, before taking his own life at their home in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, on Thursday.


source: dailymail