An inquest heard today that the fiancee of a “loving parent” who shot his partner and their two young children to death in the months prior to the tragedy had discussed their financial struggles and attempted to end things with him.
During the initial Covid lockdown in 2020, Robert Needham, 42, shot his daughter Ava, 4, in the head and his daughter Lexi, 2, in the chest.
At their £600,000 property in West Sussex, he also shot his fiancee Kelly Fitzgibbons, 40, in the head and neck.
Mr. Needham, who had amassed debts of more than £30,000 with Ms. Fitzgibbons, is thought to have turned the gun on himself before shooting himself in the head.
Only one week after lockdown was implemented, all four were discovered dead at the detached home in the sleepy community of Woodmancote on Sunday evening, March 29, 2020.
In furious text conversations disclosed with the court on Tuesday, Mr. Needham and his partner Ms. Fitzgibbons argued about their failing relationship and swore not to fight in front of their kids.
And it was then discovered that Mr. Needham had purchased a semi-automatic shotgun from a licensed guns dealer just one week before to the shootings, claiming he needed it to kill pigeons.
Family members characterized his two kids as “angelic” and “mischievous,” and they were discovered laying next to each other on the double bed in their parents’ bedroom.
A legal secretary named Miss Fitzgibbons was discovered face down on the ground while Mr. Needham was discovered in the corridor with the revolver cradled in his arms and the barrel pointed in the direction of his head.
Bill, the family’s Staffordshire bull terrier, was also shot to death in the landing, according to the police. Six spent shotgun shells in all were discovered on the site.
There were no indications that Mr. Needham was experiencing mental stress before to the terrible killings, an inquest into the deaths heard today.
However, it was revealed at the hearing that he was a covert cocaine user who had unsuccessfully attempted to obtain the drug from a supplier in the days prior to the tragic event.
He had no cocaine in his system at the time of the tragedy, according to toxicology tests, which were presented at the inquest.
Expert on firearms Robert Griffiths stated at a hearing that he believed Kelly Fitzgibbons was shot in the arm and face between one and 1.5 meters away, and that the second fatal shot was fired at point blank range with the muzzle of the gun touching her head.
He claimed that both little girls were shot while they were on the bed, behind the duvet covers, with Ava, age 4, being shot at close range and Lexi, age 2, being shot in the chest from a bit of a distance.
He claimed that Bill, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, was discovered shot to death outside the restroom.
Additionally, text conversations between the couple revealed that they had decided to put their relationship on hold.
On January 13, part-time legal secretary Kelly pleaded with the two to stop yelling at each other.
She asked for civility in front of the girls in a text message. I detest returning home.
If you like, I’ll stay at my mother’s house.
Kelly wrote: “I think we should take a break and see how we both feel” on February 5 of the next month. Needham responded: “If that’s what you really want.”
Let’s not argue in front of the girls, Kelly wrote the following day. Don’t yell and slam the door, please.
I don’t want to debate anymore, I don’t care what happens from now on.
And in a terrifying warning portending upcoming occasions On March 2, Kelly texted, “I’m going out of your way.” I can tell you’re upset.
His family referred to the killings as a “diabolical catastrophe” in a statement delivered to the court.
The loss of Robert, Kelly, Ava, and Lexi left a painful void in their lives that would never be filled, they claimed. They seemed to be a solid, devoted family.
There was no sign of the internal struggle Rob was undoubtedly going through.
We are unable to come up with a rational explanation for the destruction that occurred that evening.
The Hampshire Constabulary initially issued a shotgun license to Mr. Needham, a builder, in September 2015. In March 2017, Sussex Police renewed the license.
According to testimony given before the hearing, Mr. Needham had been having money issues in the months leading up to the Covid shutdown in March 2020. The pair had total debts of approximately £30,000.
The previous October, Mr. Needham had to shut down his construction company because he owed HMRC £8,500. Additionally, he owed £14,000 on a bank loan, as well as £10,000 on credit automobiles.
Early in 2020, the pair was having relationship problems. They exchanged a number of texts, and eventually decided to take a break from each other.
After his father Rex, who had Parkinson’s disease, passed away in 2017, the family had previously relocated into Mr. Needham’s family home in Woodmancote, West Sussex, to assist with caring for his mother Maureen, 77.
His mother resided in a “granny flat” downstairs, and they were given free rent-free housing upstairs.
The family encountered financial issues and ceased paying their share of the bills while Mr. Needham was adding an addition to the property.
Additionally, in order to provide for his family, the builder had to borrow £20,000 from his mother.
When Covid hit, Mr. Needham had trouble obtaining construction materials and was forced to halt the work expansion.
Maureen Needham stated in a statement read at the inquest that she thought they required the money for day-to-day expenses and nursery fees.
She also signed a £180,000 equity release agreement to help pay for the extension’s construction.
Emma Ambler, Miss Fitzgibbons’ twin sister, stated throughout the hearing that she did not think the couple had any significant financial concerns.
I had the feeling they were good for money, she remarked.
They could afford lovely stuff and nights out.
Miss Fitzgibbons reported that her sister had briefly discussed tightening their belts but did not appear overly concerned.
She claimed that she did not know why Mr. Needham killed his companion and two daughters with a single gunshot.
Rob adored the females to the hilt. Ava truly was her father’s girl. Kelly had never disclosed to me that Rob had ever been abusive toward her or the girls.
I believed Kelly, Rob, and the girls were leading happy lives.
If there were financial issues, Kelly must not have been aware of them.
She didn’t have a lot of money worries or concerns about the coronavirus.
“Ava was a beautiful, adorable young kid,” she remarked.
She spoke way too much. She cherished dancing, holding hands, and chit-chatting. She had a lot of school buddies.
She was a beam of sunshine who approached school life with positivity. She always had a smile on her face and was prepared.
“Lexi was sly. She was constantly grinning or frowning. She had a little more self-assurance.
Although she had a dash of mischief, she adored cuddling.
She gave each day a warm greeting from the heart.
They got along well and had a close relationship.
Tests on hair samples revealed that Mr. Needham had previously used cocaine and had been required to consult a doctor because the drug had damaged his nose.
The jury was also informed that he made unsuccessful attempts to obtain the substance twice in the days preceding the killings.
Miss Ambler claimed Mr. Needham had just bought a shotgun and kept it at the house without her knowledge, but she claimed her twin sister wouldn’t have told her since she would have known Miss Ambler wouldn’t have approved.
Family friend Ronald Peacock entered their dormer bedroom using a ladder and discovered the remains.
He discovered their mother on the floor and the two young daughters resting side by side on the bed beneath the duvet. Mr. Needham was discovered on the staircase.
Miss Fitzgibbons’ forearm and the side of her face were injured, which suggested she attempted to defend herself as her fiancee pointed the shotgun at her and fired.
The hearing was informed that a second gunshot wound to the left side of her skull would have been lethal right away.
Both of the young girls were shot at close range or point blank, and they both passed away practically instantly.
Close-knit residents of the town were stunned by the killings; they claimed that Mr. Needham, an avid angler, appeared to be a devoted family man.
A sequence of pictures Miss Fitzgibbons shared online just 48 hours before the tragedy showed the entire family taking a lockdown stroll in the sunlight.
The investigations go on.