Pensioner killed his wife because her coughing kept him awake at night before he killed himself by smashing car into a tree
Edward and Ann Furneaux had been a loving couple, inquest was told
Michael YongEducation and news reporter
Flowers were left at the scene of the crash (Image: SWNS)
A retired accountant, who spent long sleepless nights caring for his wife, drove a car into a tree after killing her.
Edward Austin Furneaux had spent a year caring for his wife Ann after she was diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). She also suffered from emphysema.
But her loud coughing at night caused him to stay awake for hours, leading to him seek help from his GP for anxiety issues.
It was alleged he eventually murdered his wife, before driving his car into a tree, which killed him.
Police found her with a stab wound in her neck and she had also been hit over the head with a hammer.
Paramedics and passers-by found Edward's body in the car wreckage in Kewstoke Road, Weston, a short distance from his home.
Despite CPR and medical help, the elderly man was declared dead at the scene.
The pair were well known in the area (Image: SWNS)
A police officer was dispatched to deliver the bad news to his wife, but did not get an answer after knocking on the door.
After getting the keys from the crash site, which was about a mile from the home, officers entered it to find Ann's body in bedroom in the front of the house.
She had suffered from severe head injuries and a single stab wound to the neck.
Officers found a claw hammer on the bed with her, with her blood and hair. Upon searching the house, they also found a knife in the basin in the bathroom.
Detective Constable Richard Kitchener told Avon Coroners Court on Wednesday, May 10, that Edward had tried to clean the blood off the knife.
How did it lead to this?
Edward and Ann had been married for around 50 years, with friends describing a happy couple who often went on long holidays together and were "inseparable".
Their close friends, Michael and Sylvia Philips, agreed that Ann was the "dominant one" in the relationship, and Edward – also known as Eddie to many – was shy and quiet.
Sylvia and Ann, who had worked together for years, stayed in contact after retirement. The two couples would go on double dates to each other's houses.
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After retiring as an accountant for British Rail, Edward worked part time at the nearby Tesco to keep himself busy.
But Ann was struck down with shingles and pulmonary disease, and in spring 2016, was prescribed oxygen cylinders.
Her health started getting worse, and she would not leave her bedroom, leaving her husband to do the household chores and to cook.
DC Kitchener said they found evidence Edward was struggling in the kitchen, learning from simple recipes.
It started taking a toll on Edward.
He slept at the rear bedroom of the house, while Ann slept in the front bedroom.
Eddie had cared for his wife Ann (Image: SWNS)
Officers found ear defenders stuffed with cotton wool near his bedside when they searched the house.
A few days before the tragic incidents, he had gone to see his GP, saying he was suffering from sleep problems for a long time and had anxiety issues.
He also told friends he was "at the end of his tether" and that it was all too much for him.
Mike and Sylvia had dropped in on them, after the couple cancelled their date, to check on them.
Edward was struggling to make a fish pie, while Ann was poorly.
Mike said: "I couldn't understand why he was worried about it.
"Ann probably had told him to.
"He was struggling with it all and it was wearing him down.
"He was getting thinner and thinner."
January 19 and evidence
Neighbours said they had heard Edward slam the door quite early in the morning, something they described as "unusual".
He had gone to his car without defrosting his windscreen and crashed just a mile from his home on January 19 this year.
PC Joseph Sample, the crash investigating officer, told the court the crash had such great impact the car's battery and lights had been thrown from it.
Police believe he might have been travelling about 60mph just before the crash. The speedometer's needle was stuck.
They could find no evidence he had his seat belt on, and there were no skid marks on the ground to show he might have tried to avoid the crash.
Edward suffered severe chest injuries, which led to his death, but a post mortem report showed he also had suffered injuries to his neck and wrist.
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Dr Russell Delaney, who carried out the examination, said the latter injuries were "not consistent" with a car crash.
Officers found Ann's body about 90 minutes later.
She was slouched over her breakfast, and the court heard she was just about to drink her tea when she was hit in the head and stabbed in the neck.
DC Kitchener told the court there were no signs of a forced entry, and the curtains were drawn.
In his conclusion, assistant coroner Dr Peter Harrowing said there was no evidence to suggest Edward had tried to stop his car.
But he recorded a narrative verdict, saying it was not "beyond all reasonable doubt" that he had tried to take his own life.
He recorded a conclusion of unlawful killing with regards to Ann's death.
Police confirmed there is no ongoing investigation.