Man, 70s, chokes woman in her 60s to death then hangs himself in £500,000 listed 18th century Suffolk townhouse
- Emergency services called to Cumberland Street, Woodbridge on Saturday
- Officers said couple were ‘known to each other’ and there was no wider threat
- Up-market Georgian town named as the best place to live in the East of England
A man in his 70s choked a woman to death before hanging himself at a £500,000 Grade II-listed house in Suffolk, police said.
Forensic teams arrived at the scene in Cumberland Street, Woodbridge, after emergency services were alerted just after 6.15pm on Saturday.
Officers spent the night standing guard outside the semi-detached 18th century terraced home, close to the centre of Woodbridge.
On Sunday, police said post mortems revealed the woman in her 60s died as a result of compression to her neck and her death is being treated as murder.
The man hanged himself and officers said his death is not being treated as suspicious.
Investigations are ongoing and police are yet to identify the pair, but said they believe no one else was involved in the deaths.
Police have launched an investigation following the deaths of a man and a woman ‘known to each other’ at a £500,000 Grade II-listed house in Cumberland Street, Woodbridge, Suffolk
The up-market town of Woodbridge was named by the Sunday Times last month as the best place to live in the East of England.
Situated beside the River Deben, Woodbridge is acclaimed for its fine shops and pubs and is described by tourist chiefs as ‘the gem in Suffolk’s crown’.
Property website Zoopla lists the average price of similar Georgian terraced homes in Cumberland Street as £537,653, while larger properties in the street are valued at £703,205.
Emergency services arrived at the Georgian town house just after 6.15pm on Saturday
Officers said the man and the woman were known to each other and there was no ‘wider threat to the community’.
It is understood that both were National Trust volunteers at the Sutton Hoo Anglo-Saxon burial ship site, located just outside the town, East Anglian Daily Times reports.
The road was closed to traffic as detectives began house to house inquiries, asking neighbours if they had had heard anything suspicious.
Officers spent the night standing guard outside the property as the investigation continues
One witness said at least three ambulances were seen in the street along with five police cars and other unmarked police vehicles during the early evening.
A Suffolk Police statement said: ‘Police have launched an investigation following the sudden death of a man and a woman at an address in Woodbridge.
‘Officers were called shortly after 6.15pm yesterday to reports that two adults had been discovered deceased within a property in Cumberland Street.
‘A police scene remains in place while an investigation into the circumstances of the deaths continues.
Forensic teams arrived at the scene, where a man and woman were found dead on Saturday
‘The parties involved are known to each other and there is no wider threat to the community.’
Woodbridge is also known as the home of the famous Anglo-Saxon burial ship, which was found at Sutton Hoo beside the River Deben in 1939.
The discovery of the 86ft long ship in a burial mound featured in this year’s hit Netflix film The Dig starring Ralph Fiennes, Carey Mulligan and Lily James.
Anyone with information has been asked to contact police, quoting incident number 37/17853/21 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.