A man has been arrested and police have opened a double murder investigation into the deaths of two women who it was previously thought had died in their sleep five years apart.
New forensic information into the deaths in Worthing, West Sussex of Susan Nicholson in 2011 and Caroline Delvin in 2006 prompted police to arrest Nicholson’s partner Robert Trigg, 52, on suspicion of murder.
He has since been released on bail until next February, as the investigation continues.
A 2011 inquest found that Nicholson, who weighed 50kg (8st), was accidentally smothered to death by 82kg Trigg as the couple slept on a sofa.
Trigg told the inquest at the time: “It was a freak accident and I lost my partner.”
Coroner Micheal Kendall recorded a verdict of accidental death. Reports of the verdict quoted him saying: “There is no doubt the death was caused by Mr Trigg overlaying on her face. There is no evidence whatsoever that this was part of an altercation, violence or an incident of aggression of any kind.”
There was no inquest into Delvin’s death after the 35-year-old mother of four was found dead in her bed on Mothering Sunday in 2006. A postmortem at the time said she died of natural causes.
Police said they have since discovered new information to link the deaths. In a statement, Sussex police said: “This current investigation followed new forensic information we received about the 2011 death, which may have some features in common with the 2006 death.”
A spokesman refused to elaborate on the apparent breakthrough.
The statement added that a 52-year-old man was arrested on Monday on suspicion of murdering Nicholson and Colvin. It added: “After being interviewed the man was released on police bail on the same day until 20 February 2017 while enquiries continue.”
The families of both women are being kept informed about the investigation, it added.
A postmortem into Nicholson’s death found pinpoint haemorrhages on her neck, face and an eye that were consistent with external pressure being applied.
At the time Sussex police considered charging Trigg with accidental manslaughter but found no case to answer. He told the inquest: “When I looked down she was in the same position but she had changed colour. I just thought the worst, I had suffocated her.
“Her hand was still warm and I held it and said ‘Time to wake up, stop mucking about’ but there was no response.”
