Suicide couple declared ‘our lives... our choice’

Ill health and unbearable pain led couple in their 70s to take their own lives, inquest told

AN elderly couple were found dead at their farm in Devon having taken their own lives in a double suicide pact after declaring in a letter ‘our lives, our choice.’

Peter and Marguerite Norris were discovered on their beds in separate bedrooms of their home in Modbury on April 8, 2021.

Both had the initials DNR – an abbreviation for ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ – written on their foreheads.

An inquest held at Plymouth’s Coroners Court yesterday heard Mr Norris, 75, a retired company director, and Mrs Norris, 74, a retired teacher, had both been suffering from ill health.

According to Mr Norris’s GP records, he had been left battling with chronic pain following two strokes in 2007 and 2010, and also had osteoarthritis. It was said he had virtually tried all painkillers available but was still suffering from ‘a degree’ of neuropathic pain. It was noted he had stated he never wanted to go into hospital again.

A post-mortem examination confirmed the cause of death was an overdose of painkillers. The amount he took was within the fatal range, and he was also found to have coronary artery disease and chronic renal disease.

The cause of Mrs Norris’s death was drug toxicity. She was also found to have several life-threatening conditions, including chronic kidney disease and heart disease. Police officer Keeley Topham told the inquest that neighbours reported concerns to police after not seeing the couple for around a week.

Officers found Mr Norris passed away in a bedroom and Mrs Norris dead in another bedroom further along the corridor.

In Mrs Norris’s room, in a small crate on a desk, was found their updated wills and other bits of paperwork that would require attention following their deaths, and details of how their passports to identify them could be found in the safe.

In the front room, officers found instructions had been left about the heating and lighting in the property – and instructions to keep the curtains drawn to prevent the furniture from fading. Details of their final wishes had also been noted.

Police later discovered the couple had sent a letter to their solicitor in which it explained: ‘Our lives, our choice’. The police investigation confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances.

Ms Topham said: “All the evidence suggests the sad death of Mr and Mrs Norris was due to suicide with no third party involvement.”

Coroner Ian Arrow said he had “sadly” come to a conclusion of suicide for both deaths.

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