Police say gunman ‘not depressed’

A MAN who shot his partner and two other relatives before killing himself was not depressed, the detective leading the inquiry said.

Taxi driver Michael Atherton, 42, killed Susan McGoldrick, 47, along with her sister and niece, Alison Turnbull, 44, and Tanya Turnbull, 24, on New Year’s Day at his home in County Durham.

Detective Superintendent Paul Goundry, speaking after inquests into the deaths were opened, said: “We have spoken to health professionals and his own GP and there is no indication from any witness that he was suffering from any mental illness or depression.”

Police did not believe Mr Atherton planned the murders, which followed “a relatively trivial family argument”.

Det Supt Goundry said: “The focus of my investigation has to be why did a minor domestic argument turn into this tragedy?”