Millionaire kills wife and drowns himself in pool

The body of Jon Ortuzar, 76, who is believed to be from a wealthy shipping family, was found at the bottom of the pool.

His 60-year-old wife Carlotta's body was found lying in one of the five bedrooms of their large white villa. She had been strangled with a stretch of cable.

The deaths took place in the picturesque town of Urrugne, in French Basque country in the foothills of the Pyrenees.

The couple's cleaner made the discovery and alerted police and the emergency services on Tuesday morning.

A local police source said: "It was a horrific scene, with both Mr Ortuzar and his wife dead. A letter written by Mr Ortuzar has been found, suggesting that this was a premeditated murder followed by a suicide."

Autopsies had been carried out on the couple, who spent most of the year in Madrid but also have a home in Chelsea. Mr Ortuzar is originally from the Basque country, which straddles France and Spain. He is thought to have spent much of his professional life in London.

The Ortuzars own a pair of two-bedroom apartments, in a leafy secure complex near the King's Road in Chelsea, worth approximately £1.5 million in total.

The apartment block, opposite Tom Aikens's eponymous restaurant, has gardens, a pool and a gym and are popular pieds-à-terre.

The couple returned to Chelsea "once or twice a year," a source said.

"They were a really nice old couple and would often stop for a chat," he added. They are understood to have had two sons, a daughter and at least three grandchildren.

Police believe that the couple had been arguing before Mr Ortuzar carried out the murder in a fit of rage.

His suicide note includes a "sincere apology" to all family members for what he had done, said police.

It included the words: "I'm very sorry for the terrible thing that I've done."

Mrs Ortuzar was believed to have a history of depression, and frequently argued with her husband, according to her medical records.

The source continued: "Mrs Ortuzar's face was covered in bruises, which suggests that a struggle took place. Other injuries and marks on her neck were consistent with her having been strangled to death.

"Mr Ortuzar's body was found in the swimming pool, weighed down by sports bags filled with various articles to make them as heavy as possible. His feet were bound. He would not have had a chance of surfacing."

The couple were well known in Urrugne. They bought the villa several years ago, and it was used by many members of their family. "They were well-liked," the source said.

Both had British nationality, but were of Spanish origin, said the source. He added: "Urrugne is a very small community, so this naturally comes as a terrible shock. The couple are British. They are retired and spend most of their time in Madrid."

Nobody else is being sought in connection with the deaths. French judicial police have opened an inquiry.

Urrugne, which has a population of 7,000, is close to the Atlantic coast. The couple's holiday home is on the outskirts of the town, in isolated countryside.