This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/mar/03/retired-police-inspector-shot-dead
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Retired police inspector and partner found shot dead in Wiltshire | Retired police inspector and partner found shot dead in Wiltshire |
| (4 months later) | |
| 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 terrace property in Devizes. | 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 terrace property in Devizes. |
| The dead were named as Bill Dowling, believed to be 59, who retired from Wiltshire police around five years ago after 30 years' service, and his partner, Vicky. | The dead were named as Bill Dowling, believed to be 59, who retired from Wiltshire police around five years ago after 30 years' service, and his partner, Vicky. |
| DCI Ian Saunders said neighbours had overheard gunshots from the address, which is on the Moonrakers estate, on Saturday morning. A weapon was recovered from the scene and police are not looking for anybody else in connection with the incident. Postmortems were being carried out on the bodies. | DCI Ian Saunders said neighbours had overheard gunshots from the address, which is on the Moonrakers estate, on Saturday morning. A weapon was recovered from the scene and police are not looking for anybody else in connection with the incident. Postmortems 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, heard a single gunshot before 8.40am and thought it sounded "like a bang on my door". | One neighbour, who declined to be named, heard a single gunshot before 8.40am and thought it sounded "like a bang on my door". |
| She said Dowling, who is understood to be divorced with two children, lived alone, but was regularly visited by his partner. | She said Dowling, who is understood to be 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 we were," she said. "He was a good neighbour, and she seemed very friendly too. I just can't believe what has happened." | "People always say this, but they were both lovely, nice people. He was very friendly, would say hello and ask how we 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. | 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." | "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." |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |