Who were Charlie and Gayle Anderson? British couple found murdered in Hope Bay, Jamaica
The retired couple were discovered dead on June 22 at their home in Hope Bay just weeks after complaining they were victims of a credit card fraud
A BRITISH couple were found murdered in their luxury eight bedroom home in Jamaica weeks after complaining they were victims of a credit card fraud.
Charlie and Gayle Anderson were discovered dead on June 22 at their home in Hope Bay. We reveal all...
Who were Charlie and Gayle Anderson?
The couple had retired to Jamaica to begin "the next chapter of their lives" when they were killed.
Pals of the couple, also known as Halford and Florence, told how the pair always wanted to return to Jamaica and saved all their lives to fund a dream eight-bedroom house in the upmarket Mount Pleasant district in Hope Bay, Portland, on the North East of the island.
Friend John Corrigan, who lives next to the couple’s former home in Gorton, Manchester, said: "Charles came over to Britain with just a satchel and made a life for himself.
"It was their dream to move back to Jamaica and have their own home there.
"They saved all their lives and Charles built his dream home with eight bedrooms."
Gayle, 71, and Charlie, 74, had been married for 55 years with two sons and had four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Their sons Mark, 53, and Glen, 54, have paid tribute.
Charlie had moved to the UK as part of the Windrush generation from Jamaica with “just a satchel to his name” – eventually marrying supermarket worker Gayle and settling in Gorton, Manchester.
What happened to Charlie and Gayle Anderson?
The "burned" bodies of Charlie and Gayle were discovered on June 22.
The pair were "tortured and set on fire before fleeing the house and collapsing dead".
Sources on the Caribbean island confirmed that Gayle, 71, had her hair burnt off when she was found dead 20ft from her luxury retirement home.
The body of her husband-of-55 years Charlie, 74, was discovered 40 metres from the eight-bedroom house, down a slope and with burns to the genitals.
Both had face and neck wounds – with locals claiming the pair had been stabbed.
The couple's windows had been removed from the outside prior to the murders and the living room of the Mount Pleasant home had been set alight.
Jamaican police last night said that one man had been “taken into custody” following the murders.
A spokesman said: “The man, who is considered a person of interest in the matter, was picked up on Saturday afternoon at a business establishment in Kingston.”
What is the credit card fraud?
One theory is that the murders are linked to a suspected credit card fraud against Gayle.
A conman was said to have recently made more than 40 fraudulent purchases – totalling £50,000 -using her cards – which she reported to detectives in Jamaica.
As part of the investigation, Gayle returned to the UK three weeks ago to get documents from her bank before handing them to the police.
What did Charlie and Gayle's sons say?
The couple's devastated children paid tribute to them in an emotional statement.
It read: "Our parents Charlie and Gayle enjoyed a long and happy marriage of 55 years and leave behind their four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
"They were hardworking people, building a business with integrity and making sure we were always provided for.
"Charlie and Gayle were pillars of the community in Manchester and Jamaica, and were hugely popular and loved by many.
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"They were just beginning the next chapter of their lives, retiring to Jamaica before this terrible tragedy.
"We would like to thank our friends, family and community for their prayers and support.
"We are completely devastated and ask for privacy at this extremely difficult time."