A LAWYER whose husband has been charged with her murder died of a gunshot wound to the chest, an inquest heard today.
Silke Hartshorne-Jones, 42, was shot at the £600,000 farmhouse where she lived with her husband Peter Hartshorne-Jones in the village of Barham in Suffolk, the hearing in Ipswich was told.
She sustained two gunshot wounds.
Mr Hartshorne-Jones, 51, has been charged with her murder and is remanded in custody ahead of a trial which is set for October 26.
Detective Chief Inspector Caroline Miller, of Suffolk Police, gave evidence to the inquest from a report prepared by senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Karl Nightingale.
She said police were called to the farmhouse in Barham at around 4.45am on Sunday May 3 – during the coronavirus lockdown.
"Mr Hartshorne-Jones was arrested initially for attempted murder whilst officers and paramedics sought to save Mrs Hartshorne-Jones's life," DCI Miller said.
"Mrs Hartshorne-Jones was conveyed to Ipswich Hospital where she subsequently died.
"Mr Hartshorne-Jones was then arrested for murder."
A post-mortem examination recorded Mrs Hartshorne-Jones's medical cause of death as a gunshot wound to the chest, DCI Miller said, adding: "Mrs Hartshorne-Jones had two gunshot wounds."
She added: "Family liaison officers are actively engaged with the family of Mrs Hartshorne-Jones."
The hearing was told that Mrs Hartshorne-Jones was born in Heidelberg in south-western Germany.
Nigel Parsley, Suffolk's senior coroner, said: "In relation to the tragic case of Silke Hartshorne-Jones, I will open an inquest into her death and that inquest will be suspended pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings."
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