The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE deaths of an elderly couple whose decomposing bodies were discovered in their home last month are believed to have been due to natural causes, police said yesterday.

Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles told reporters initial indications suggest this, adding there was no evidence the home had been breached before relatives arrived.

She said police are still awaiting the pathologist’s report to determine the exact causes of death.

Relatives told The Tribune yesterday they have not yet received confirmation of the exact cause of death.

The bodies of Theresa Edwards, 68, and her husband William Pearce, 78, were discovered at their Carmichael Road home after relatives became concerned when they had not heard from the couple for four days.

The discovery triggered screams and tears from relatives who had gone to check on them.

Granddaughter Yasmen Darling said she briefly fainted after she and two relatives she had called for help made the grim discovery.

“It was like a movie scene – but this was real life,” said Ms Darling.

Officers from the Southwestern Division, along with Emergency Medical Services, responded to the scene. Fire Services conducted preliminary checks and found no evidence of a gas or air-conditioning leak.

Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department said foul play is not suspected.

Ms Darling said the family’s concern began earlier in the week after repeated attempts to contact the couple went unanswered. The last confirmed contact was Monday. By Tuesday, calls to both the house phone and cellular phones were not returned, something she initially did not find alarming.