Builder stabbed wife to death then hanged himself
FRIENDS of a popular builder who stabbed his wife to death and then hanged himself were struggling to come to terms with the tragedy today.
Popular builder Richard Pitkin killed his wife before hanging himself
Richard Pitkin, 65, killed his wife Sarah at their rambling 16th century house on Sunday.
A Home Office pathologist confirmed Mrs Pitkin, 58, died from multiple stab wounds.
Stephen Williams, 69, a friend of the couple in Stowmarket, Suffolk, said: “I am absolutely devastated to hear how they died. It is shocking news.
“As far as I knew, everything was perfectly OK between them. I can’t get my head around how he could have stabbed her. There must have been something really traumatic going on to warrant that kind of reaction.”
Mr Pitkin and his wife, who had a son and three daughters, had lived in London until 2006 when they bought Grade II-listed Harlequin House.
A Home Office pathologist confirmed Sarah Pitkin died of multiple stab wounds
After extensive renovation work, they opened part of the property as tea rooms in 2009.
Their deaths just do not make any sense
Mrs Pitkin ran the business until it closed down about two years ago.
She had been working as an assistant manager of a hospice charity shop close to her home.
One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “They were a lovely couple and seemed happy. Their deaths just do not make any sense.”
The couple lived with their teenage daughter Tisha and their son Tommy, who worked for his father.
Their two older daughters lived away. A police spokesman confirmed Mrs Pitkin “died as a result of multiple stab wounds – her death is being treated as murder”.
The couple lived with their teenage daughter Tisha and their son Tommy
The man’s death was the “result of hanging”.
Detectives are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.