A British couple’s fresh start in New Zealand ends in heartbreak as police probe an apparent murder-suicide

A British couple who recently moved to New Zealand in search of a fresh start have been found dead in their home, with police launching a murder-suicide investigation into the harrowing incident.

Authorities discovered the pair inside their Roseneath, Wellington residence on Palliser Road after worried family members in the UK requested a welfare check. When police forcibly entered the property, they were met with a disturbing scene, confirming the couple had perished under tragic circumstances.

Detective Inspector Haley Ryan stated that police are treating the case as a murder-suicide and are not seeking additional suspects. As speculation mounts, neighbours and acquaintances paint a picture of a couple chasing a new life, far from their London roots. Their landlord described them as adventurous ‘British lodgers’, embracing their new environment with enthusiasm.

However, neighbour Emma Prestidge expressed her sorrow, revealing that the pair had relocated their entire lives in pursuit of a new beginning, only for their journey to end in unimaginable tragedy.

With details still emerging, investigators are urging anyone with information—especially those with CCTV footage of traffic around Palliser Road—to come forward. Detective Inspector Ryan stressed the community’s role in piecing together the couple’s final moments.

While the devastating discovery has left Roseneath residents in shock, authorities remain focused on uncovering the circumstances that led to this sudden and heartbreaking loss—a grim end to what was supposed to be a hopeful new chapter in a distant land.