Retired British couple found dead in boot of Volvo after robbery at their South Africa home

A retired British couple have been murdered at their seaside home in South Africa, police said today.

The bloodied bodies of Christopher and Jennifer Early were discovered in the boot of their Volvo car following a suspected robbery at their 

home.

Detectives today said they believed the couple, aged 69 and 62, were murdered last Thursday at the beachfront property in Hibberdene.

The sleepy resort lies around 60 miles south of Durban on South Africa's north-eastern coast. A favourite with holidaying locals, the village has five beaches and is a popular spot for diving and fishing.

Warrant Officer Banie Pienaar said it appeared Mr Early had been bludgeoned to death and his wife had been executed by a gunman.

He said: 'They appear to have been the victim of a violent robbery. It seems that the gentleman was attacked outside their property in the driveway to their home.

'The post-mortem suggests that he was beaten to death with some sort of bush knife.

'It looks like his wife was attacked inside the property. She had a gunshot wound to her chest. It appears the bullet went straight through her heart, so she would have died instantly.'

Police said the couple had full South African citizenship but originated from the UK.
They are believed to have lived for several years in South Africa's sub-tropical KwaZulu-Natal province.

Their beachfront home was on a quiet residential street a few hundred metres from the Indian Ocean.

Warrant Officer Pienaar said the couple's bodies were discovered stuffed into the boot of their Volvo by the side of a quiet gravel road a few miles from their home at 8pm on Thursday.
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