Husband and wife, Tony and Phyllis Gilbert, were discovered deceased at their home in Ireland in November 2021, and a letter was found pinned to their door stating eight chilling words
A couple were found dead in their home, and a chilling letter was found attached to their door.
Tony and Phyllis Gilbert, both 83, were discovered deceased at their bungalow in Dromneavane, Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland, just after 10am on 14 November 2021. Their daughter-in-law, Beryl Gilbert, who regularly did their shopping, said during an inquest that due to Covid-19 restrictions, she intended to leave the groceries at their doorstep that morning.
However, on that morning, she noticed a note attached to the door. The message, written on A4 paper, chillingly read: “All going to plan we should be dead.”
The note instructed her to alert the police and mentioned a front door key hidden in a flower pot for the officers to gain access. Police entered the bungalow and discovered the elderly pair deceased in a bedroom, the Tralee District Court inquest heard.
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The couple were found in separate beds, and there were no signs of injury or trauma on either person. The coroner, Aisling Quilter, noted that shortly after discovering the couple’s bodies, the police found a tape recorder in the bedroom with two recordings of the couple’s voices.
A note directed the police to listen to the recordings, reports the Irish Mirror. In one recording, Mr Gilbert stated they had been “together in life” and intended to be “together in sleep.”
An inquest heard that the couple had sadly taken their own lives at their home, and Mrs Gilbert had been suffering from stage four pancreatic cancer. The couple had relocated to Kerry from the UK in the 1990s and formerly operated a successful glass engraving business on Henry Street in Kenmare.
Their granddaughter, Felicity Gilbert, revealed that the couple were “as close as you can be companionship-wise.” She also explained that they had grown “quite reclusive” and were distancing themselves from others due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Vincent Coakley, solicitor, informed police that Mr Gilbert rang him in October 2021 to ask about drafting wills for himself and his spouse. Mr Gilbert mentioned to Mr Coakley that they were “anxious to make a will because of good health.”
He noted that the pair were reluctant to visit his office to execute their wills after providing their instructions by telephone. Mr Gilbert expressed concerns about the Covid-19 risk given his wife’s health vulnerabilities.
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Nevertheless, Mr and Mrs Gilbert arrived at his office on the afternoon of 10 November 2021 and executed their wills. Mr Coakley stated that while Mrs Gilbert was “very infirm”, both she and her husband possessed the mental capacity to create their own wills.
Post-mortem examinations were conducted by Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan on the deceased at University Hospital in Kerry. Dr Mulligan determined that Mr and Mrs Gilbert had consumed a lethal substance which caused their deaths.
Toxicology findings confirmed the pair had perished after ingesting a toxic substance. Dr Mulligan informed the bereaved family that death would have been relatively swift for both individuals.
She observed that Mrs Gilbert was suffering from stage four pancreatic cancer at the time of her death, with the disease having spread throughout her body. The coroner stated it was evident the husband and wife had made preparations before their deaths.
It was said there was no coercion, and the will signing was witnessed by three individuals. The coroner delivered a suicide verdict in both instances and extended her sincere sympathies to the families of the departed, describing it as “a traumatic” case.
Residents remembered Mr Gilbert as “very talented and artistic”, and it was said that the couple were “very quiet and unassuming.”
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