A UK man described as ‘bully dad’ shot his two young daughters in the head and chest before blasting his partner and turning the gun on himself in West Sussex, reports The Sun.
Robert Needham, 42, gunned down Lexi, two, Ava, four, and their mum Kelly Fitzgibbons, 40, in a murder-suicide at their family home in Woodmancote, West Sussex.
Builder Mr Needham also shot the family’s dog Bill.
He is believed to have gone on the gun rampage after becoming stressed over coronavirus cash worries.
Lexi was shot in the head and Ava in the chest, an inquest was told.
Ms Fitzgibbons, a legal secretary, and Mr Needham both died from fatal blasts to the head and neck, the Chichester inquest heard.
Police found the family-of-four at their home near Chichester less than a week into the national coronavirus lockdown.
Murder-Suicide
Detectives from Sussex Police said they were not looking for anybody else in connection with the deaths.
The shotgun used to kill the family was found in the house.
Britain’s top pathologist Dr Nat Cary examined both daughters at Great Ormond St Hospital in London on Thursday and Friday last week.
Dr Robert Chapman examined their parents at Worthing Hospital.
Police were called to the house on Duffield Lane, Woodmancote on Sunday, March 29 after a relative said the family were not responding.
Relatives paid tribute to a family describing their shock and confusion.
Kelly’s sister, Emma, said: “Kelly was a wonderful and special person.
“She was kind, caring, funny and always smiling with an amazing love for life.
“Kelly was a dedicated and loving mother and adored Rob and her two beautiful children”.
Robert Needham’s family said: “Robert was a man with a loving, caring young family.
“He had a beautiful partner Kelly and daughters Ava and Lexi, who he cared for deeply and who cared for him.
“We are devastated and bewildered at this most difficult of times.”
Final Goodbye
Ms Fitzgibbons is believed to have waved final goodbye to a neighbour hours before she was gunned down by her partner.
Daniel Silvester-Worrall was the last person to see the mum-of-two in chilling scenes before the horrific shooting.
The former military police officer told SunOnline: “When I was going down the lane, I actually recall seeing someone was in the window.
“It was Kelly, shortly before the incident, standing in the left window downstairs so I acknowledged her and gave a little wave.
“I was potentially one of the last people to have seen her.”
Days after the shocking murder tributes and cuddly toys were left close to the family’s £600k home in the rural village, near Chichester.
Locals were stunned by the horrific scenes.
But one neighbour described Mr Needham as a “bully” and a “nasty piece of work” who she wanted to avoid.
Mr Silvester-Worrall, 44, lived just across the road from the family and remembered them as “quite affable and very pleasant”.
