Man arrested after couple in their 80s found dead at home

A MAN has been arrested after two pensioners were found stabbed to death in their home in Co. Armagh.

The couple, understood to both be in their 80s, were discovered in the property in Ramone Park in the Craigavon area by a relative.

Police in the North have begun a murder investigation and were last night questioning the 40-year-old suspect in custody.

PSNI Detective Chief Inspector Geoffrey Boyce said: ‘Police investigating the circumstances surrounding the suspicious deaths of an elderly man and woman in the Craigavon area have arrested a 40year-old man.’

Detectives were last night working to establish a motive, with one line of enquiry understood to be that the pensioners were killed in a violent burglary.

DUP representative David Simpson said: ‘A family member was the first to find them and we can only begin to imagine the shock, heartbreak and pain this has caused.

‘It is important the family receive time and space to grieve the loss of two parents in such tragic circumstances.’

Local SDLP councillor Declan McAlinden said the couple were the victim of a ‘heinous crime’.

‘The entire community is just in shock that someone could murder an elderly couple in their own home like this,’ he said.

‘I would appeal to anyone with any information or who saw anything suspicious in the area to come forward to police as soon as possible.’

Police cordons sealed off the house where the bodies were found and a large area of the street outside.

Shocked neighbours gathered along the street last night trying to gather information about what had happened on their quiet street.