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Inquest reveals horrific murder of wife and daughter in Hertfordshire

Inquest reveals horrific murder of wife and daughter in Hertfordshire

A Hertfordshire husband and dad brutally stabbed his wife and daughter to death in a “frenzied attack” before setting himself on fire.

Mrs Caroline Walker and Katie both died as a result of multiple stab wounds, while Gary died as a result of the suicide by setting fire to himself.

At the inquest held at Hatfield Coroner’s Court on (Thursday, February 25) heard details of a post mortem examination revealed Mrs Walker had been stabbed 39 times with a kitchen knife, her daughter had suffered 38 stab wounds.  Some of these injuries were a result of self defence.

Mr Walker had been a draughtsman for an engineering firm, and he believed that Caroline had previously worked at Waitrose, while daughter Katie worked with animals.

mum daughter murder Gary Walker suicide fire hemel hempstead

Detectives launched a murder investigation on the same day in Marriotts Way. (photo by WatfordLondon)

The deaths of three people occurred in their home in Hemel Hempstead on Sunday (29 March 2020).   But the reasons are still unknown.   

Ring doorbell CCTV had shown a parcel was left on the front step after no one answered the door, but later that morning Mrs Walker went out to a neighbour who wanted help buying an item off ebay.

Morning of the incident

The court heard evidence from DC Jason Rice of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, who discussed the CCTV footage available from the Walkers’ Ring doorbell, as well as Ring doorbell footage from their opposite neighbours and the house that backs onto the garden of the Walkers’ in Marriotts Way.

At 9.38am on the day of the incident, the camera showed a delivery driver attempting to make a delivery before leaving a package on the front step.

Mrs Walker was spotted outside shortly after and then again at around 10.22am, this time leaving her home and crossing over the road.

A neighbour spotted smoke pouring out from the bathroom and called Fire Services. (Photo by Watford London News)

Mr Walker was found by officers near the stairway, while Mrs Walker was discovered in the living room, the court heard.

Their daughter, meanwhile, was found in a bedroom upstairs. Miss Walker, who worked as a kennel assistant, kept some animals both indoors and outdoors but, due to the fire a number of those housed inside the property also died.

Following the thorough investigation, DC Rice told the court: “We believe there’s no third party involvement in this.”

He continued by telling the court that sometime between 10.28am and 12.28pm, Mr Walker had stabbed his wife and daughter to death, walked outside onto the patio while leaving blood prints on the inside patio door and blood spatter on the patio, before heading to the garden.

It was here where he picked up a bottle of a flammable liquid from the shed – the bottle of which was later discovered empty by officers inside the property – before returning inside the house and then locking the patio door behind him.

The court heard that Mr Walker then doused himself in the liquid before setting himself alight.