Mystery surrounds death of Rugby council boss, 50, and his ex-headteacher wife found dead at £500,000 home after neighbours heard ‘quite a commotion’
Sean and Mary Lawson were found in their home in the early hours of Sunday morning
MYSTERY surrounds the death of a council boss and his ex-primary school headteacher wife who were found dead at home.
Sean Lawson, 50, and Mary Lawson, 63, were discovered at their £500,000 detached property at around 2.45am on Sunday after neighbours raised concerns.
Emergency services rushed to the scene but the couple were pronounced dead from their injuries on leafy Wiggins Close, in Rugby, Warwickshire.
Residents living close to the private road said neighbours described hearing "quite a commotion" over the weekend before seeing police on their quiet street.
Sean had worked for Rugby Borough Council for more than 12 years as head of its environment and public realm department.
Police have confirmed that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths and they are not looking for anyone in connection with them.
It is not clear the circumstances surrounding Sean and Mary's deaths, though it is believed former headteacher Mary has been suffering from ill health since she had a stroke in 2015.
A neighbour claimed it was a "suspected murder suicide" but a family friend said they believed the pair had committed suicide together.
The family friend said: "I don't think they could bare to be without each other but Mary's illness had really took a strain on them. She was really suffering.
"He would never have killed his wife. It would have been arranged. The information we have so far is that it wasn't a murder suicide but they both committed suicide.
"But I suppose that will be for a coroner to decide for sure."
One resident, living on nearby Crick Road, said: "I have a friend who lives on the close which backs on to their road and apparently there was quite a commotion in the early hours.
"Its being treated as a murder suicide from what I'm aware but we don't know the precise details, its just what I've been told.
"There was police everywhere, its really concerning because in this sort of area nothing like this really happens.
Neighbours of the couple continued to express their sadness at the deaths of the "lovely and popular" pair.
One resident, who did not want to be named, added: "My daughter cleaned for them once a week for quite a while.
"But this last Thursday she was told not to go round because Mary had deteriorated a lot in recent weeks to the point she needed a wheelchair.
"Personally, I only knew them from waving to them putting the dustbin out but they were a very nice couple."
Warwickshire Police said the couple's next of kin have been informed.
Detective Inspector Matthew Pyatt, of Warwickshire Police, added: "We are not treating the incident as suspicious.
"The incident was contained to the property and we're not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.
";The case will be handed over to the coroner."
A joint statement issued by Councillor Michael Stokes, leader of Rugby Borough Council and its executive director Adam Norburn, said: "It is with great sadness that we must announce that Sean Lawson and his wife passed away over the weekend.
"Sean was 50 years old and head of environment and public realm at Rugby Borough Council.
"Sean had worked at the authority for 12 years, most recently as a head of service.
"He sat on the Rugby Community Safety Partnership and chaired the Rugby Safety Advisory Group.
"He had overseen a number of major projects, most notably the build and operation of the Rainsbrook Crematorium and the planting of the Diamond Wood, where he planted several trees in person.
"Sean was close to his staff and news of his death has been a shock to us all.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends."
Mary was the former Canon of Leicester Cathedral and a former primary school head teacher.
The Diocese of Leicester confirmed she had died over the Bank Holiday weekend and said she had suffered ill health since having a stroke in 2015.
A diocese spokesperson said: "I am shocked and deeply saddened by this news and my thoughts and prayers are with Mary and Sean's colleagues, family and friends".
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