Mansion deaths probe to last months

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Detectives confirmed earlier that they believe Christopher Foster committed suicide after killing his wife, Jill, and their 15-year-old daughter, Kirstie.

As forensic examinations continued at the ruins of Osbaston House in Maesbrook, Shropshire, the detective heading the police inquiry said evidence was now being gathered for the formal inquest into the deaths.

Two of three bodies found at the £1.2 million property have been formally identified as Mr Foster, 50, and his 49-year-old wife.

But Detective Superintendent Jon Groves, the senior investigating officer, said officers may not be able to confirm whether a third body found at the house is that of Kirstie until next week.

A post-mortem examination on the remains has been carried out, but the results of additional tests will not be known for several days, the officer said.

Mr Groves added: "We are also having to carry out further tests with regard to establishing the cause of death of Christopher Foster and the body we believe to be Kirstie. It will be some time into next week, and possibly longer, before we have those results."

Police said that the investigation team were not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths in the early hours of August 26.

It was also disclosed that CCTV footage recovered from Osbaston House showed a man police strongly believe to be Mr Foster firing a rifle at a horsebox as his property burned.

A post-mortem examination has already established that Mrs Foster died from a gunshot to the head and tests are being conducted on a rifle recovered from the house to establish whether it was the murder weapon.