Mansion blaze millionaire killed family

A man shot his wife and daughter dead before torching their £1.2 million mansion, police probing the Shropshire estate blaze have said. Three bodies recovered from Osbaston House in Maesbrook, are those of Christopher Foster, 50 and his 49-year-old wife Jill. A third body is believed to be that of their 15-year-old daughter Kirstie, police said. A murder inquiry was launched when post-mortem tests established the cause of Mrs Foster's death as a gunshot wound to the head following the devastating fire in the early hours of August 26. Detective Inspector John Groves of West Mercia Police said the body of Mr Foster was identified on Tuesday afternoon, adding: "Jill and Kirstie Foster were killed by Christopher Foster." He continued: "We believe Mr Foster killed his wife and daughter before setting the fires which destroyed his home...A cause of death has yet to be established for Mr Foster. We believe Mr Foster took his own life before setting the house alight." He added: "CCTV recovered from the house shows a man we strongly believe to be Mr Foster with what appears to be a rifle in his hands." Three horses and four dogs were also found shot dead in the mansion's grounds. A gun found near the two bodies had been identified as a .22 rifle which was legitimately owned by the businessman. Det Insp Groves said the footage shows outbuildings "going up in flames" and Foster driving a horse box out of the drive before shooting out two of the tyres. The family had attended a friend's barbecue on the evening of August 25, the night before they died. A blaze started in the early hours of the following morning destroyed the mansion, leaving only a charred shell. Mr Foster had amassed his fortune developing insulation technology for oil rigs but reportedly struggled with debt in recent years.

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ITN | September 2, 2008

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