A neighbour living next to the scene of the Killamarsh “murders” heard an argument the night before four people were found dead.
Danny Berry, 16, who lived right next door to Terri Harris and her two children, said that he had heard “muffled shouting” in the house but hadn’t thought anything of it.
Derbyshire Police said they were called to the house at 7:26am on Sunday after concerns were raised about the safety of a man.
They found the bodies of the three children, Lacey Bennett, 11, John Paul Bennett, 13, and Connie Gent, 11, along with that of 35-year-old Terri Harris, who was Lacey and John Paul’s mother.
Speaking at the scene in Chandos Crescent, Killamarsh, Mr Berry told The Independent that he knew the 31-year-old suspect, Damian Bendall, and described him as “pretty nice” but said that he “had a bit of a weird thing about him”. Mr Bendall was the boyfriend of Terri Harris and lived in the property with her and her two children.
Mr Berry said: “He was living in the property. He kind of made me a bit uncomfortable whenever I spoke to him. They had been living there for a couple of months. I didn’t hear anything during the day because I was asleep for most of it, but the night before I heard a bit of arguing.
“I couldn’t hear exact words but I heard them shouting. That was around midnight. I’m pretty sure he was taken into the ambulance.”
Speaking about the argument, he added: “It was loud enough to hear but it was like muffled shouting. It wasn’t frightening, it just sounded like a normal argument. Something that wouldn’t really turn into anything. It had happened, something like that, one or twice but not very often.
“All I really saw in the morning was the forensic tent and police cars everywhere. I was really confused.”
Yesterday Jason Bennett, father to Lacey and John Paul, visited the scene and said: “I’m broken, I just want to kiss my babies.
“I just want to kiss them and hold them. TikTok Queen and my beautiful boy, they were beautiful.”
Connie’s dad, Charlie Gent, 36, posted a tribute to his daughter on social media, saying: “My Baby Girl whhhhyyy.
“I can’t even put into words how to feel or react right now. I have to live with the fact I was helpless to protect her . . . and she’s gone.”
