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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Damien Gayle

Police launch murder investigation into two West Sussex deaths

Worthing, West Sussex.
Police said the pair lived in the seaside town. Photograph: GuardianWitness

A murder investigation has been launched after a man and a woman were found dead at a flat in Worthing, West Sussex.

Sussex police said the pair, who lived in the seaside town, were found at 1.51am on Friday morning and declared dead at the scene.

Their next of kin have been informed.

“At the present time we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the investigation,” said DS Adam Hibbert of the Sussex and Surrey major crime team.

“Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the deaths and we would discourage anyone from speculating as to what happened.

“The man, believed to be in his 40s, and the woman, believed to be in her 30s, who were known to each other, have not yet been formally identified. Our thoughts are with their families at this difficult time.”

Forensics officers spent most of the day at the rear of the house in South Farm Road, while a police cordon covered part of the pavement and a car parked at the front.

Heather Denyer, 24, a neighbour, said she came home at 1.40am from working in McDonald’s and was surprised to find large numbers of police cars in the street

“This is a quiet neighbourhood,” she said. “The neighbours here know each other but the people who lived in that house kept themselves to themselves. We didn’t know them well.”

Bruce Patel, who owns a newsagent opposite the house, told the Worthing Herald that he had spoken occasionally to the woman who lived in the house.

“She was a nice lady,” he said. “I have never had any problems from them at all. They kept themselves to themselves really.

“It is shocking. I have been here for 10 years and this is a lovely area. I have never heard of anything like this here before, so it is shocking that it is happening right outside my shop. I’m sure we will get to know the real story soon.”

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