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| Retired police officer and partner found shot dead in Devizes | Retired police officer and partner found shot dead in Devizes |
| (4 months later) | |
| A retired police inspector has been found shot dead alongside his female partner at his Wiltshire home. | A retired police inspector has been found shot dead alongside his female partner at his Wiltshire home. |
| Neighbours alerted police after hearing gunshots, and two bodies were discovered inside the porch of the terraced property in Devizes. | Neighbours alerted police after hearing gunshots, and two bodies were discovered inside the porch of the terraced property in Devizes. |
| The couple were named locally as Bill Dowling, believed to be 59, who retired from Wiltshire police about five years ago after 30 years' service, and his partner Vicky. | The couple were named locally as Bill Dowling, believed to be 59, who retired from Wiltshire police about five years ago after 30 years' service, and his partner Vicky. |
| Detective Chief Inspector Ian Saunders said neighbours had "overheard a number of gunshots from the address" on Saturday morning. | Detective Chief Inspector Ian Saunders said neighbours had "overheard a number of gunshots from the address" on Saturday morning. |
| A weapon was recovered from the scene and police said they were not looking for anybody else in connection with the incident. Postmortem examinations were being carried out on the bodies. | A weapon was recovered from the scene and police said they were not looking for anybody else in connection with the incident. Postmortem examinations were being carried out on the bodies. |
| It is understood that a neighbour made the grim discovery when he noticed blood splattered on a ground-floor window facing the road. | It is understood that a neighbour made the grim discovery when he noticed blood splattered on a ground-floor window facing the road. |
| One neighbour, who declined to be named, said she heard a single gunshot before 8.40am and thought it sounded "like a bang on my door". | One neighbour, who declined to be named, said she heard a single gunshot before 8.40am and thought it sounded "like a bang on my door". |
| She said Dowling, who is understood to have been divorced with two children, lived alone but was regularly visited by his partner. "People always say this, but they were both lovely, nice people. He was very friendly, would say hello and ask how were were," she said. "He was a good neighbour, and she seemed very friendly too. I just can't believe what has happened." | She said Dowling, who is understood to have been divorced with two children, lived alone but was regularly visited by his partner. "People always say this, but they were both lovely, nice people. He was very friendly, would say hello and ask how were were," she said. "He was a good neighbour, and she seemed very friendly too. I just can't believe what has happened." |
| Another neighbour said he believed Dowling had a firearms licence. "I have known him for more than a decade and he was into shooting," said the man. "I'd seen him load what looked like a big gun case into his car a few times, I think he went pheasant shooting. It was a big gun – it looked like it could have been a shotgun or something. He had long had an interest in shooting but over the last couple of months I saw him in his shooting gear a lot more." | Another neighbour said he believed Dowling had a firearms licence. "I have known him for more than a decade and he was into shooting," said the man. "I'd seen him load what looked like a big gun case into his car a few times, I think he went pheasant shooting. It was a big gun – it looked like it could have been a shotgun or something. He had long had an interest in shooting but over the last couple of months I saw him in his shooting gear a lot more." |
| On Sunday afternoon police were guarding the entrance to Dowling's garden at the front of the house, while forensic work was being undertaken inside a tent at the front of the terraced building. | On Sunday afternoon police were guarding the entrance to Dowling's garden at the front of the house, while forensic work was being undertaken inside a tent at the front of the terraced building. |
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