Wife tried to fight off husband who hammered her to death in horror murder-suicide

A husband brutally murdered his own wife in their bathroom and then took his own life before they planned to retire, an inquest heard.

Brave Suratchanee 'Lat' Parks, 53, tried to fight off Richard Parks, 63, as he strangled, stabbed and bludgeoned her to death, Maidstone Coroners Court was told.

Suratchanee, described as a "ray of sunshine", was found dead beside Parks in the first-floor bathroom of their Tunbridge Wells home in Kent.

It was a year before they planned to retire and move to Thailand.

The inquest heard how tree surgeon Parks had stab injuries to his neck and was found dead with a knife in his hand.

Lat had multiple stab wounds, had been bludgeoned with a hammer, leading to skull fractures, and the nail bar worker wife was found dead in the bath with neck wounds consistent with being strangled.

Pathologist Dr Virginia Fitzpatrick-Swallow told the court she had other defence injuries suggesting she had tried to fight her husband off.

The couple met in Thailand where Lat was a single mother to a son and they later moved together to the UK.

Before the tragedy, they bought a home in Thailand where they were going to retire.

The court heard of a happy marriage "without problems" but Parks was more recently concerned about a big tax bill.

He was also "struggling with mental health" issues, which had delayed his retirement, the court heard.

When police arrived at the house on February 23 this year, after being alerted by relatives, they discovered a large pool of blood in the kitchen, and bloodstains on the stairs and in every room of the house.

Officers found blood stains on the kitchen floor, dishwasher, hallway and stairs, and on a sofa and carpet in the living room.

There was blood on a silver metal photo frame which had been turned facedown. It contained pictures of the couple. A red folder was also found on the hall floor had a large sum of cash in £10 and £20 notes spilling out of it, as well as two coats at the foot of the stairs covered in a large pool of blood.

A blood splatter analyst concluded there had been a bloody assault in the kitchen area and at some time, somebody had moved around the house and had attempted to clean themselves up in the kitchen.

Detective Constable Jessica Summers, who investigated the case, said police concluded Mrs Parks was unlawfully killed by her husband, who subsequently took his own life.

She said they were satisfied there was no third-party involvement as there was no sign of forced entry, doors to the house had been locked on arrival, and there was no blood trail leading away from the property.

Coroner Roger Hatch ruled that Mrs Parks was killed unlawfully and her husband Richard Parks had taken his own life.

Mrs Parks' employer the London Nail Company said: "It is with an extremely heavy heart that we have to announce the passing of our lovely Lat.

"We are all deeply saddened by this loss. Lat was the most gentle, kindest soul, and she will be sorely missed.

"We are beyond saddened at this news and our hearts are truly broken. Lat was a little ray of sunshine and she put a smile on many people's faces.

"She will be missed beyond words."

Mr Parks' brother Robert Parks said after the inquest: “This is a terribly sad situation. Only those two will ever know exactly what happened.

“They loved each other very much and he was looking forward to going to Thailand - it’s just terribly sad for both families.”