Former police inspector and his partner found shot dead at house in Devizes Lauren Beglin, whose boyfriend's family live in the street, wrote on Twitter: "What I saw today will stay in my mind forever." She added: "Just going to be hard to get that blood-smeared door out my head" Mr Dowling had recently been on a month-long holiday to Australia on his own and lived alone, although his partner visited him regularly, neighbours said. Michael Bodman, a retired carpenter who had known the 6ft 6ins former policeman for about 19 years, said: "I was really dumbfounded. It's a real shock to think what has happened to the pair of them. He was a charming guy, he really was a nice guy. He said he had not been aware of any arguments at the home of Mr Dowling, who is thought to have had two sons from a marriage that ended some 15 years ago. Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said she heard a single gunshot just before 8.40am yesterday. She said: "I thought it sounded like a bang on my door. I didn't really think too much of it, so I went out to the shops. It was only a few hours later when I had a call from my son to come home that I put two and two together and realised what had happened. The neighbour added: "People always say this, but they were both lovely, nice people. He was very friendly, would say hello and ask how we were. He was a good neighbour, and she seemed very friendly too. I just can't believe what has happened. Detective Chief Inspector Ian Saunders, from Wiltshire Police, said: "The investigation has so far identified that yesterday morning some neighbours overheard a number of gunshots from the address. The investigation continues to try and establish what led to this tragic incident. He added: "We have recovered a weapon from the scene. My working assumption is that weapons were discharged and the victims had sustained some form of gunshot wounds. The couple's families have been informed but they have not been formally named by police. Post-mortem examinations will take place later today. Chief Inspector Mark Sellers said: "News of these tragic deaths will have been a shock to the community and our thoughts are with the families and friends of the two people involved.