A grandfather battered his wife to death with a hammer before hanging himself after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's, an inquest has heard.

Zena Hoskins, 77, and David Hoskins, 80, who were married for more than 50 years, were both found dead at their £825,000 home in September last year.

An inquest heard today how Mr Hoskins inflicted multiple wounds to his wife's head with a hammer before taking his own life.

Oxfordshire Coroner's Court heard there was no prior history of domestic abuse or violence, nor signs of any struggle or forced entry to the house. 

The coroner ruled that Mrs Hoskins was unlawfully killed while Mr Hoskins died by suicide in the tragedy that shocked the community in Milton, Oxfordshire.

Mr Hoskins, a retired engineer, had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and dementia in 2024, it was heard.

Mrs Hoskins had twice been chair of the parish council and only recently stepped down to look after her husband, with the disease ruled to have likely played a role in the deaths.

Their family said that in the months before the tragedy there had been further deterioration in his mental state and that his related memory loss and confusion had caused stress in the pair's relationship, including arguments over food.

Daughter Gillian Mulford, a resilience guide and author, said that Mr Hoskins' illness had taken a toll on her parents' relationship, and that there were multiple times when her mother had criticised him for losing his memory. 

They were last seen by their three grandsons who went around for dinner in the late afternoon on September 12 last year.

Several days later concerns were raised after there was no answer at the door when a delivery person called, and Mrs Hoskins did not respond to messages and calls from her other daughter Alison Wood.

Ms Wood went to her parents' home on September 15 and discovered her father dead in the garage.

The police were called to the scene, with officers discovering Mrs Hoskins in bed with multiple wounds to her head.

A note in the kitchen - signed by 'D' - asked for Min, their cat, to 'be given a good home'.

In his conclusion, the coroner Mr Darren Michael Salter confirmed it was likely Mrs Hoskins was asleep when the blows were struck.

He said: 'There were multiple blows, at least four with two hammers it seems. She was likely to have been knocked unconscious and would not have known what was happening.'

Mr Salter added that it was probable she was killed on September 12, considering she was in bed in her night clothes and that she had not taken her morning medication.

On Mr Hoskins, the coroner concluded it was a suicide by hanging and that it was likely to have occurred late on September 12 or early on September 13.

As well as wounds associated with his death, forensic pathologist Dr Brett Lockyer, who appeared virtually at the inquest, noted there was a partial sharp force injury to his body that was likely inflicted by himself using a knife.

There were blood stains on his clothing and on two hammers discovered in a drawer. 

It was noted by Detective Inspector Alice Broad of Thames Valley Police's Major Crime Unit that if Mr Hoskins had survived he would almost certainly have faced a murder charge.

However she added that he would have likely called for diminished responsibility given his dementia and that may have resulted in a manslaughter verdict instead.

'This was a tragic case and a very much unexpected event,' Mr Salter said.

After the couple's death, a fundraising page in Mr Hoskins' memory was set up, raising money for a charity which sponsored a room in memory of his late grandson, Ollie.

The page praised his 'kindness, humour and strength', adding: 'Whether it was lending a hand when we needed it, or just making us laugh, he showed us that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference.'

Milton Abingdon Parish Council's clerk, Liz Cruse, also paid tribute: 'Zena and David were longstanding, popular figures within the Milton community.'

Didcot and Wantage MP Olly Glover, a member of the parish council, said: 'Zena welcomed me onto the parish council in 2021 while she was the chair.

'She worked incredibly hard for Milton over many years, and was a true stalwart of the village.'

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