Man killed wife and dog before taking his own life

House on Morfa Crescent in Trowbridge, Cardiff cordoned off with police tape
Image caption,

Stephen and Christine Jefferies were found dead in their house on Morfa Crescent in Trowbridge, Cardiff in October 2024

  • Published

A man shot and killed his wife and their dog before taking his own life, a coroner has concluded.

Stephen Jefferies, 74, his 72-year-old wife Christine and their dog, May, were found dead in their house on Morfa Crescent in Trowbridge, Cardiff, in October 2024.

Patricia Morgan, area coroner for South Wales Central, said it was likely Mr Jefferies was suffering from deteriorating mental health and it was likely he shot his wife, the family dog and then himself.

She recorded a conclusion of unlawful killing for Mrs Jefferies and a conclusion of suicide for Mr Jefferies.

The coroner said the official cause of death for both was "gunshot wound to the right temple".

The couple's daughter, Martine Stecker, told the inquest in Pontypridd she found her mother in bed and later realised what had happened.

"By the time I calmed down, I think the realisation hit me that my father did it," she said.

'My parents have been shot'

Mrs Stecker said on the day of the shootings she received a call from her parents' neighbour, who said she was worried about them.

She said she went up to her parents' bedroom and found her mother lying in the bed.

"I was trying to work out why she was so grey," she told the court, adding: "It just wasn't registering."

Mrs Stecker said she believed her mother was asleep at the time and said she did not notice any blood.

The court heard the dog, May, was on the bedroom floor.

Mrs Stecker said she did not see her dad in the room, but told the court, "I just knew he was there" and thought he was "probably underneath the other quilt on the floor".

She said she left the house and told a neighbour "my parents have been shot".

'Strange head today'

The coroner, Patricia Morgan asked how Mrs Stecker came to that realisation to which she replied: "I just knew, I can't explain it."

"Something must have triggered him that week," she added.

Mrs Stecker said her mother had been making plans for Christmas, including making Christmas cards.

"She had plenty of plans," she said. "I don't think my mother was involved in any of this - that was taken away from her."

She told the court her parents were in about £35,000 of debt and that her father had wanted to change his will in the months before the shooting to add her and her brother.

"I dismissed it - I didn't understand why he wanted to change it after all these years," said Mrs Stecker.

The inquest heard he had been treated for depression and his wife had been medicated for chronic pain.

Mrs Stecker said her father had owned several guns for clay pigeon shooting and hunting, which were kept in her old bedroom.

She described him as "a very caring man" but believed multiple pressures - including debt, bereavement and work-related bullying - might have led to his actions.

'Historical depression'

A firearms expert told the court the evidence showed Mrs Jeffries was shot at close range while lying in bed.

He said it was most likely that Mr Jeffries then shot the family dog before turning the gun on himself.

Det Ch Insp Leanne Rees, the senior investigating officer, said there was nothing to suggest Mr Jefferies was violent and there was no note at the scene but there were "pertinent" diary entries in the days before the shooting that suggested he was struggling with his mental health.

She said on 2 October he wrote "strange head today" then the following day, "started to sort rifle, can't sell it".

She said Mrs Jefferies had written an entry that said, "hubby not quite right this evening".

In her conclusion, the coroner said: "[Mr Jefferies] had some historical depression and was likely suffering with a deterioration in his mental health."

Ms Morgan added: "They had some financial debts but it is not known to what extent this had caused them stress or worry."

Related topics

Related internet links