Man, 34, denies murder of millionaire couple found dead in their home with powerful painkiller in system
A MAN has denied murdering a millionaire couple who were found dead with a powerful painkiller in their bodies.
Stephen Baxter, 61, and his wife Carol, 64, were discovered at their home on Mersea Island, Essex, on April 9.
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Luke D’Wit appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court today where he denied two counts of murder.
The 34-year-old also pleaded not guilty to theft Jewelry Property owned by Carol on or before July 6th.
D’Wit denied another charge of possession of a Class A drug, fentanyl, on July 16.
He was remanded in custody ahead of a preliminary hearing date of February 12 next Year.
Police initially viewed the couple’s deaths as unexpected and not suspicious.
But following a toxicology analysis, two men and a woman were arrested on July 6.
An investigation determined that Carol’s cause of death was listed as “combined fentanyl and promethazine toxicity with terminal bronchopneumonia.”
While her husband died of “cardiomegaly and alcoholic liver disease with fentanyl poisoning.”
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid painkiller used to treat severe pain and is only available with a prescription.
Carol and Stephen were joint directors of the bath and shower mat company Cazsplash.
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