Wedding planner and daughter, 11, murdered at home
A WEDDING planner and her 11-year- old daughter were found murdered in their home yesterday.
Mother-of-three Laura Boon, 31, and her eldest child Ella were discovered at their new-build property by police at 4.50am.
Neighbours described being woken by a ‘loud bang’ at the three-bedroom house before officers arrived and cordoned off the cul-de-sac and a nearby footpath.
Police later arrested a 28-year-old man at a park close to the home in Gloucester.
Mrs Boon had been living with Chris Boon. He was not Ella’s father and had been married to Mrs Boon for almost five years.
Last night, Mrs Boon’s father Richard Mortimer, 57, said: ‘Ella had just started at secondary school – she was just a beautiful little girl.
‘I don’t know what would make anyone do a thing like that... She was my little lollipop and now she’s gone.’
Days earlier, Mrs Boon thanked friends for their support regarding relationship troubles, writing: ‘When you get supportive random messages they lift you and make you realise who you are, what you have achieved and that I don’t only help myself I help other people out there.’
The last post on Mrs Boon’s Facebook page on Thursday night was about Ella. Showing a picture of Ella sitting at her dressing table, Mrs Boon wrote ‘Go to say goodnight and she’s there doing her make up – such a princess.’
An hour earlier, she had posted: ‘Yes I’ve had another **** year but bring it on, nothing could ever bring me down when I have hit the top I’m staying right there I absolutely love life.’
Phillica Tabanor, 20, a support worker who lived next door to the family in Dexter Way, said yesterday: ‘It never seemed like there was any problem.
‘They always had family around their house. They were still together, I would see them every day together. I would wave and say hello, then go about my day. I can’t believe it.’
Gloucester Police said: ‘A 31-year- old woman and an 11-year-old girl were declared dead at the scene. A 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of the woman and the girl.’