Murdered Birmingham couple were victims of “vicious assault”- India

12 jan 2012

Avtar Singh-Kolar and his English wife Carole found murdered in their home in Birmingham on Wednesday appeared to have been victims of a “vicious assault,” police said on Thursday, as the local Indian community remained in shock over the double murder and people left floral tributes with messages asking “Why?”

Police declined to be drawn into speculation about the motive but said they were not ruling out the possibility that it might have been a revenge attack by someone with a grievance against the couple's son, Jason, a police officer.

It was Jason who discovered his parents' bodies on Wednesday morning when he went round to their house after failing to reach them on the phone.

Police said they were focusing their investigation on the 12-hour period between 7 p.m. on Tuesday when Carole reportedly last spoke to a relative and 8 a.m. the following day when Jason discovered their bodies.

Kolar (62) and Carole (58) had been married for 40 years and lived in the tree-lined Friary Road, Handsworth Wood, for most of their lives. They were described as a “close-knit” and “loving family.”

Neighbours were reported as saying that Kolar, locally known as Tari, had worked as a florist. He was seen washing his car on Tuesday. Carole worked at a school-care centre looking after children including her own grandchildren who went to the same school. Children affectionately called her “Nanny Cal.”

The couple's Michelle Kirwan (39) broke down describing her parents as “the sweetest and kindest people I have ever met.”

“Yesterday the light was switched out in our lives and our hearts have been broken forever,” she said .as the family joined the police in appealing for information that might help catching their killer or killers.

The couple had four children and eight grandchildren.

The police officer leading the investigation said the local community and the family had been “extremely supportive and forthcoming in what they are telling us and how they are co-operating with us.”

“We will catch the people responsible. I can assure the local communities and the family that we will catch the people who have done this horrendous crime. We have a full team of experts and forensic scientists at the address. It is very early days and we don't want to miss any opportunity,” he said.