Family Of Murdered Couple 'Broken Forever'

http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16147666

The children of a couple murdered in their home have said their hearts have been "broken forever" by the deaths.

Michelle Kirwan, 39, and her brother Avtar Kolar, 32, held hands and sobbed as they said the light had been "switched out" of their lives.

The pair gave an emotional press conference over the deaths of their parents Carole, 58, and Avtar, 62, whose bodies were found at their home in Handsworth Wood, Birmingham.

The couple were discovered by their son Jason, a serving West Midlands Police officer, after he went to check on them because relatives had been unable to make contact.

Mrs Kirwan said tearfully: "Yesterday the light was switched off in our lives and our hearts have been broken forever.

"My mum and dad were the sweetest, kindest people that I have ever met and would do anything for anyone."

Her brother added: "We are all struggling to come to terms with this tragedy. We are now reaching out to anybody out there who could please, please help. No matter how little or however much they can.

"Somebody out there knows who did this, so please I beg of you help us catch the person or people who has taken these two most special people away from us."

Detective Superintendent Richard Baker, who is leading the inquiry, said the incident had had a "devastating effect" on the whole family.

Police have not revealed a motive behind the deaths but vowed to work "around the clock" to find the killer.

Detectives are following up a number of lines of inquiry, including a rise in burglaries and gold thefts in the area.

Det Supt Baker refused to be drawn on reports that the couple's son Jason works for a unit set up to tackle gangs and organised crime.

"We are still investigating the circumstances surrounding this attack, however this is a very complex investigation and we are continuing to keep an open mind," he said.

"There is nothing at this stage to indicate that the fact that the couple's son is a serving police officer had anything to do with their deaths."

Earlier today floral tributes were left at the semi-detached home by the couple's children. One message on a bouquet bore the simple message: "Why?"

Four cards and three heart-shaped balloons were attached to the floral arrangement, which was left with other flowers at the police cordon on a patch of grass near the house.

One message read: "Mum, why? No life will ever be the same without you. We adore you and miss you so much, the pain is unbearable. Love always, your children."

Another said: "Dad, why? Our life has stopped, it will never be the same. We miss you so much, the pain in our hearts will never ease. Love always, your children."

Det Supt Baker said post mortem examinations will be concluded on Friday to determine "the definitive cause of death" and establish if any weapons were used.

He said: "It was obvious from the scene the couple had been assaulted and had more than likely died of their injuries.

"We currently have more than 60 detectives from West Midlands Police CID, along with a lot of our uniform colleagues, working around the clock to catch the offender.

"I can assure the local communities and the family that we will catch the people who have done this horrendous crime."

The couple, who had been married for 40 years, had four children and eight grandchildren.

The pair was discovered by their policeman son after they did not answer the phone on Wednesday morning.

Mrs Kolar worked at an out-of-hours club at a local school, attended by some of her grandchildren, and was widely known as "Nanny Cal".

Det Supt Baker said one family member had spoken to Mrs Kolar at 7.15pm on Tuesday night but had not detected anything wrong at that point.

He said: "We're appealing for anybody who may have seen or heard anything suspicious within the Friary Road area of Handsworth Wood to come forward.

"Please can I stress that any information could prove vital to coming to a very quick and swift conclusion to this inquiry.

"I'm absolutely convinced that local people have that vital bit of information that will lead to the identity of these offenders and bring them to justice as quickly as we possibly can."

:: Anyone with information should call police on 101 and ask for officers working on Operation Tiler, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

A man has been arrested over the murder of a couple in their Birmingham home as it emerged the victims were battered to death.

The 24-year-old suspect is being held on suspicion of murdering Avtar Kolar, 62, and his wife Carole, 58.

West Midlands Police said the man was arrested at a house in Birmingham on Friday night.

Officers have also revealed post mortem results indicating that the victims died from blunt force trauma to the head and that both had been struck a number of times.

The Kolars were discovered at their home in Handsworth Wood, by their policeman son on Wednesday morning.

The couple, who had been married for 40 years, had four children and eight grandchildren.

Their son Jason Kolar, a serving police officer, found them dead at their semi-detached home just after 8am on Wednesday.

He had visited the Friary Road address to check on them after family members had been unable to make contact.

At an emotional press conference on Thursday two of the Kolars' four children made a poignant plea for help to catch their killers.

Michelle Kirwan, 39, described them as "the sweetest, kindest people that I have ever met".

He added: "Our hearts are broken forever and our lives will never be the same."

Avtar Kolar, 32, said: "We are now reaching out to anybody out there who could please, please help.

"No matter how little or however much they can, somebody out there knows who did this, so please I beg of you help us catch the person or people who has taken these two most special people away from us."

A team of more than 60 officers have been assigned to the case and Detective Superintendent Richard Baker vowed to work "around the clock".

Mr Baker, leading the investigation, has described the incident as an "atrocious crime" but said he remains remained positive that his officers will bring the killers to justice.

Crimestoppers has said the double murder was a "vile crime" and put up a reward of up to £10,000 for details leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators.

Police have repeatedly refused to speculate about a motive for the murders, but said detectives are looking into a number of lines of inquiry.

These included a rise in burglaries and gold thefts in the area.

Mr Baker said a possible link between Jason Kolar's position with the force and his parents' death was "not a significant line of inquiry".

He said: "Clearly his role as a police officer has established himself as a line of inquiry but what I can say at this time is there is nothing to suggest at all that Jason's role as a police officer has anything to do with the motive in relation to this investigation."

:: Anyone with information is urged to call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

I have the feeling that the arrested person could be a family member. It's what is missing from the reports that leads me to this thinking.

My first thought in dreadful cases like this is surely it can't be anyone in the family or known to the victims but sadly it often is.

However at the moment I'm still thinking it could be a burglary gone wrong.

My sympathies are with the family, I can only imagine what it must be like to know what your loved ones went through.

Not Born Yesterday wrote:My first thought in dreadful cases like this is surely it can't be anyone in the family or known to the victims but sadly it often is.

However at the moment I'm still thinking it could be a burglary gone wrong.

My sympathies are with the family, I can only imagine what it must be like to know what your loved ones went through.

Yes, sadly it often is a member of the family. I can't recall the name, but I watched a video recently about a young man allegedly finding his sister and his parents killed by intruders. He had killed the family because a load of lies he had told them were about to be revealed. There have been other well-known cases.

They just arrested a 24 year old man.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-16561332

There has now been someone charged.

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/news/man_charged_over_birmingham_couple_s_murder

And l see he's an immigrant. I wonder if we'll ever get statistics to show us the crime rate levels from immigrants??

I know if you pick up a local paper and see the court pages many of those in trouble are immigrants for drink driving, driving without insurance, violence, etc, etc. Considering the percentage of immigrants against those who've always lived here that crime rate is astounding.

The police have been very circumspect about details of their investigation, possibly following the Joanna Yates case and the media's naming of people being questioned. There is still a '24 year-old man,' who has been bailed.

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/news/sky_sources_murder_suspect_commits_suicide

There won't be many tears shed for him I don't think.

CERTAINLY SAVED AT LEAST £100,000 OF PUBLIC MONEY.
ONLY GOOD THING THE PERSON HAVE POSSIBLY DONE IN THEIR LIVE.