West Bridgford dad 'shot his own daughter'
A NOTTS man shot and killed his daughter before turning the gun on himself, police now believe.
The bodies of Corrin Barker, 31, and her father Archie McKelvie, 64, were discovered by police at Mr McKelvie's home in North Road, West Bridgford, in April last year.
The body of Miss Barker's mother, Pauline Barker, who lived separately from Mr McKelvie, had been found in the River Trent 11 days earlier.
Police went to the house in North Road looking for help in identifying Pauline Barker's body, but instead found Mr McKelvie and Miss Barker dead in the kitchen from gunshot wounds – in a case which shocked the local community.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
Documents have now shown for the first time what officers think happened to the father and daughter. A response to a Freedom of Information Act request on Notts shooting incidents shows officers think Mr McKelvie fatally shot his daughter, then killed himself.
A friend of Miss Barker today said he was shocked by the idea that Mr McKelvie would hurt his daughter and said questions were still unanswered.
Howard Wright, 46, of West Bridgford, said: "It's just horrific, full stop. It still leaves a lot of questions. There's nothing really to explain why.
"What's still a mystery is how things got to that point in the first place."
After the discovery at North Road, detectives initially launched a murder inquiry and made a public appeal for information.
They said Archie had last been seen alive at 12.30pm on April 24 at his North Road home. Miss Barker, who lived in Wood View, Edwalton, was last seen at 3pm on April 25, in West Bridgford.
Mr Wright added: "All Corrin told me about her dad was that she was quite close to him.
"Her dad and her mum were her life. No one would think this could happen.
"I still think about her. She was an unassuming gentle person. It seems unreal this could happen to someone of her nature."
The response to the Freedom of Information request, posted on the force's website, lists Mr McKelvie as the gunman in the incident and Miss Barker as the victim. They are not named, but the Post understands the listing refers to the father and daughter.
It adds "offender later shot self" and is the first detail about what police believe happened at the house in North Road.
Jennifer Grady, 35, was also a close friend of Miss Barker's and had been exchanging letters with her at least once a month from her home in New York since the pair became pen pals as teenagers.
Jennifer, who met her once in the UK in 2003, said: "She was the most wonderful, gentle person, a brilliant artist and caring friend for so many years.
"She and her father were very close. She was close to both of her parents.
"I would never have thought he would be capable of that."
Before Miss Barker moved to Edwalton she had lived with her mother in Oak Tree Close, Lady Bay.
An inquest is due to be held later this year and is expected to reveal more about events leading up to the deaths.
Comments