Police say a young woman was killed by her 41-year-old boyfriend in a murder-suicide, as new details of the “incredibly sad case” emerge.
A woman was stabbed by her boyfriend who then turned the knife on himself, police have said.
The bodies of Maddie Durdant-Hollamby, 22, and 41-year-old Ben Green, were found by police at his home in Kettering, Northamptonshire, in England on Friday.
Police say marketing director and dad-of-three Green killed Ms Durdant-Hollamby and then himself in a shocking murder suicide, The Sun reports.
Preliminary post-mortem reports show Ms Durdant-Hollamby, who worked as a marketing executive and was recognised as a “talented dancer”, died of stab wounds – and Green of self-inflicted knife wounds, Northamptonshire Police have revealed.
Police say her death is being treated by detectives as murder, and no-one else is being sought in connection with the incident.
Senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Joe Banfield, said: “Our investigation into the deaths of Maddie and Ben continues, and a file is being prepared for the coroner.”
Both families have been informed of the findings and continue to be supported by specialist officers, he added.
Friends of her devastated parents Steve Durdant-Hollamby, 48 and Rachel, 47, have told of their concerns over “arrogant” Green’s “controlling” nature and Ms Durdant-Hollamby’s “second thoughts about their future”.
Ms Durdant-Hollamby and Green are believed to have begun their relationship after meeting at Alumasc Water Management Solutions, where her dad was formerly managing director.
Ms Durdant-Hollamby and her family, from well-heeled Wimblington, Cambridgeshire, and are said to be well-respected in the area.
Dad Steve was previously president of the local Parkfield Sports Club.
One member at the club hinted the couple, who shared snaps of their luxury holidays and enjoying swanky restaurants and bars, had a toxic relationship beneath the social media facade.
He said: “Steve had said at times that Ben wasn’t right for Maddie.
“He didn’t go into much detail but hinted that he didn’t like him and found him controlling.”
Another club member added: “Maddie was a lovely girl, really charming and beautiful who had a lot of love for her parents.
“They were very concerned about the age gap between her and her boyfriend and from what we’d heard, she was having second thoughts about their future together.”
It is believed Steve and Rachel raised the alarm after not hearing from their daughter for a number of days, seeing officers visit Green’s home before making the gruesome discovery.
She split her time between her family home and her boyfriend’s place, where she increasingly spent longer periods of time.
Neighbours claimed Green paraded a “string of young girlfriends” aged between 22 and 30 in and out of his £700,000 ($A1.3 million) home before he met Ms Durdant-Hollamby.
Ms Durdant-Hollamby’s mother Rachel paid tribute to her late daughter who had “grown her own set of wings and gone to fly with the angels”.
“Baby girl … you were our world and our lives are not complete without you in it. Heaven is so lucky to have you,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
In a statement issued through police, her family said they were “absolutely devastated at the loss of Maddie, our beautiful daughter, sister, granddaughter and niece”.
“Our hearts are broken and we cannot begin to imagine life without her. The shock and pain we are feeling is indescribable,” they said.
“She was a beautiful person both inside and out, who loved nothing more than spending time with her family and friends.
“Maddie was a kind, caring, thoughtful young woman, who touched the lives of everyone she met.
“A talented dancer, her creative talent continued through school and into her career in marketing. Her life has been sadly cut short just as her career was blossoming.
“Our thoughts are with everybody who knew and loved Maddie as much as we did.”
Police have said there was no known history of domestic abuse and friends of the couple told The Sun they had been very happy together.
This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission