The reason why an elderly couple both bled to death in their flat will “forever be a complete mystery,” a coroner has said.
Charles Evans, 73, and Eira Underwood, 66, were found on their backs within feet of each other in May 2005.

Gwent Police thought the pair may have been robbed because the flat was so untidy, but post-mortems examinations showed they died of gastric bleeding.

Gwent coroner David Bowen recorded open verdicts on the Newport couple.

The bodies of the couple, who had been together more than 20 years, were found by a friend who had last seen them alive five days earlier.

Archie Gadd told the hearing his friend, Mr Evans, had become frail in recent years and had started to show symptoms of depression.

He said Ms Underwood’s alcohol abuse had become worse since the death of her mother.

He said Mr Evans was not waiting by the window as expected ahead of their weekly shopping trip, so he continued up to the second-floor apartment for the first time.

He said: “I shouted up and then went to the door and into the room. When I opened the door, that was when I saw them.”

Suspicions

Ms Underwood was naked from the waist up, lying in the living room near the settee. Mr Evans was about 4ft (1.2m) away with his head towards the bedroom. Both had blood around their mouth.

“He (Mr Evans) was staring into space and they had this blood stuff,” said Mr Gadd. “I didn’t stay too long and dialled 999. It was terrible.”

Det Insp David Edwards said initial suspicions of robbery were ruled out when no forced entry was found and it was learnt the flat had been untidy for some time.

He said tests, with samples sent to London’s Guy’s Hospital, had ruled out drugs and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Mr Bowen said: “There is no doubt the terminal cause was gastric bleeding which accounted for the blood around the mouth but the underlying cause of bleeding was unable to be ascertained.

“There is no evidence of trauma or third party involvement or natural disease in the body which would account for the deaths.

“The deaths of Mr Evans and his partner Eira Underwood have been among the most mysterious I have ever been called to investigate.

“Extensive tests using the country’s foremost experts and state-of-the-art equipment have also drawn a blank.”

He said it was “exceptional” for two people to be found dead, without explanation, in the same room and at about the same time.