A TAMWORTH couple found dead in a suspected murder-suicide are being remembered as fun loving as devastated family members prepare to farewell them.
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Local police had to force entry into the East Tamworth home of John and Rainee Abberfield last Sunday night before the bodies of the pair and a firearm was discovered.
Oxley Chief Inspector Phil O’Reilly remained tight-lipped on the details surrounding the police probe into the deaths but said investigators were waiting on the results from further forensic tests.
”The post-mortems have been completed,” he told The Leader on Friday.
“The results of that will be given to the coroner and investigations are continuing into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
“Police are continuing to prepare a brief for the information of the coroner.”
The deaths have devastated the Abberfield’s children and family who are preparing to lay the pair to rest.
John Abberfield’s cousin Lynette Abberfield said the family was still coming to grips with the shock passing of the man who was ‘one of the three musketeers’.
“It was such a shock, terrible shock,” she told The Leader.
“He always loved Rainee. He was such a fun-loving guy, laugh and I would fall into his jokes.
“He was such a quiet, gentle guy, a loving father, loving husband, he just loved life and he loved rock and roll music.”
The couple had called Tamworth home for years.
“He was in the railway from the age of 15, he was train mad and it was the only job he had,” Ms Abberfield said, adding that she had a lifetime of memories of the happier times with him.
”How blessed I was for 67 years to have a been his cousin. He was the brother I never had.
“He was such a fun, good-hearted guy always.”
Friend Peter Webster said John’s love of trains was second to no one.
“He was one of the last to still hold a steam locomotive licence,” he said.
“He used to go down to Junee, also to the coast on occasions.
“He used to have the time of his life, he used to do the grain runs from out west until he retired.” Mr Webster said John was quiet, and loved a draft beer at the bowling club with mates.