Police Scotland have launched a murder investigation after an elderly couple were found dead at home on Boxing Day.
Edinburgh Live reported yesterday on Denis and Mary Fell's bodies being discovered by police officers who kicked down the door of the property in West Lothian.
Officers revealed that a 19-year-old man has been arrested after the discovery in Livingston.
The Daily Record report that the bodies of the pensioners, who were both 73, were found in the house after a man turned up to a local police station to report their deaths.
READ MORE: Police Scotland statistics show Edinburgh area with most sex offenders
Officers arrived at the house in Raeburn Rigg, in the Deans area of the town, around 11.40pm.
A police source said: “The man turned up to report the deaths and officers attended and found the couple dead.
“A murder inquiry is now underway. Detectives are keeping an open mind as to what has happened to Mary and Denis but there is no doubt they have lost their lives at the hands of another. There are some mental health issues to be worked around.”
A blue forensics tent was erected outside the front door of the end-terrace house while a large cordon was thrown up around the scene.
Police have confirmed that a teenager has been arrested in connection with the incident as inquiries into the circumstances of the deaths remain ongoing.
Shocked neighbours told how the couple had lived in the street for many years and were well-known.
One said: “I was sitting in the living room just before midnight when I heard the cops putting the front door in. The couple who live there are both elderly and she’s disabled.
“They’ve been here for longer than I have and I think they have two children.
“It’s really quite shocking because this is a really quiet street. When I looked out the window after they kicked the door in, it looked like all the officers from West Lothian were outside. There’s still loads today, which is really quite worrying.
“I spoke to one of the neighbours who has spoken to the police.
“They wouldn’t tell him anything other than it looked a bit sinister.”
Another said: “They’ve lived here a really long time and everyone knows them.
“They’d always say hello if you were passing. I believe they have two grown-up children and you’d see their son and his young kids popping in for a visit on occasion.
“I came home at around 1.30am and the street was filled with police. I knew something bad had happened but I’d never have imagined it was something like this.”
A third added: “They were a lovely older couple who really kept themselves to themselves over the last couple of years.
“I’d seen him pushing her in a wheelchair a few times and they have a disabled parking spot right outside their house to make it easier for Mary to get out and about. It’s really tragic.”
Forensic officers arrived at the scene at around midday on Monday and memory cards containing footage from private CCTV cameras installed in several nearby properties were collected.
A force spokesperson said: “Officers were made aware around 11.40pm on December 26, of a report of a sudden death in the Raeburn Rigg area of Livingston. A man and a woman were found dead inside a property.
“A 19-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident and inquiries are ongoing.”
