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| Body of wife found at arson house | Body of wife found at arson house |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Police investigating a fire at the home of a millionaire businessman have confirmed one of two bodies found there is that of his wife. | Police investigating a fire at the home of a millionaire businessman have confirmed one of two bodies found there is that of his wife. |
| A post-mortem examination has found Jillian Foster, 49, from Osbaston House in Maesbrook, Shropshire, died of a gunshot wound to the head. | A post-mortem examination has found Jillian Foster, 49, from Osbaston House in Maesbrook, Shropshire, died of a gunshot wound to the head. |
| Christopher Foster, 50, his wife and 15-year-old daughter, Kirstie, have been missing since Tuesday's fire. | Christopher Foster, 50, his wife and 15-year-old daughter, Kirstie, have been missing since Tuesday's fire. |
| The other body which was found is believed to be that of an adult man. | The other body which was found is believed to be that of an adult man. |
| Formal identification of the body is expected to take some time and further tests are needed to try to establish a cause of death, police said. | |
| The female body was positively identified from dental records as that of Jill Foster. | The female body was positively identified from dental records as that of Jill Foster. |
| Gun cartridges | |
| Police have launched a murder inquiry after post-mortem examinations were carried out on Saturday night on the two bodies. | Police have launched a murder inquiry after post-mortem examinations were carried out on Saturday night on the two bodies. |
| The bodies were found and recovered late on Friday. | The bodies were found and recovered late on Friday. |
| The West Mercia force has said the fire at the mansion was started deliberately in the early hours of Tuesday. | |
| About 100 police officers and staff are involved in the investigation | |
| A rifle, identified as a rifle that was legitimately owned by Mr Foster, was recovered near the two bodies, along with the body of a fourth dog. | A rifle, identified as a rifle that was legitimately owned by Mr Foster, was recovered near the two bodies, along with the body of a fourth dog. |
| Post-mortem examinations carried out on three horses and three dogs found in the outbuildings showed they had also been shot before the fire broke out. | Post-mortem examinations carried out on three horses and three dogs found in the outbuildings showed they had also been shot before the fire broke out. |
| Spent and unspent gun cartridges have been found scattered around the grounds of the property. | Spent and unspent gun cartridges have been found scattered around the grounds of the property. |
| Supt Gary Higgins, from West Mercia police, said further tests were needed before it could be established whether the rifle recovered was the murder weapon. | Supt Gary Higgins, from West Mercia police, said further tests were needed before it could be established whether the rifle recovered was the murder weapon. |
| He said: "The two bodies were found close to one another and the body of another dog found nearby. | |
| "The dog has also been subject of a post mortem examination, which revealed it too had been shot." | |
| It is expected to take several days, possibly even weeks, to complete the examination of the home, due to the large site and amount of debris in the building, police said. | It is expected to take several days, possibly even weeks, to complete the examination of the home, due to the large site and amount of debris in the building, police said. |
| Police said search teams had been forced to withdraw from the main part of the house on Saturday night for safety reasons. |