Elderly couple found dead in Kerry home had died by suicide, coroner rules
Tony and Phyllis Gilbert.
An 83-year-old woman with stage four pancreatic cancer and her husband of the same age died by suicide at their Kerry home in November 2021, an inquest has heard.
Tony and Phyllis Gilbert were found dead at their bungalow in Dromneavane in Kenmare shortly after 10am on November 14, 2021.
Their daughter-in-law Beryl Gilbert did regular shopping for the pair. Giving evidence at an inquest in Tralee District Court, she said due to covid-19 restrictions, her plan that morning was to leave the shopping at the door of their home.
However, she spotted a note on A4 paper pinned to the door which read: “All going to plan we should be dead.”
The note writer asked her to call gardaí and said there was a front door key in a flower pot with which gardaí could gain entry.
Coroner for Kerry Aisling Quilter noted that shortly after the bodies of the pair were found, gardaí spotted a tape recorder which had two recordings of the couple's voices. A note directed gardaí to listen to the recordings.
Tony Gilbert said in a recording they had been “together in life” and planned to be “together in sleep". The inquest heard the couple had moved to Kerry from the UK in the 1990s. They previously ran a successful glass-engraving business on Henry Street in Kenmare.
Felicity Gilbert, a granddaughter of the couple, said they were “as close as you can be companionship wise". She said the pair had become “quite reclusive” and were keeping their distance from society because of the covid-19 virus.
Vincent Coakley, solicitor, told gardaí Tony Gilbert contacted him in October 2021 by phone enquiring about the writing of a will for himself and his wife. Mr Gilbert told Mr Coakley they were “anxious to make a will because of good health".
He said the couple were hesitant about coming to his office to sign their wills having given him details of their wishes over the phone. Mr Gilbert said they were worried about covid given his wife’s vulnerabilities health wise.
However, Tony and Phyllis Gilbert presented at his office on November 10, 2021, and signed their wills.
Mr Coakley indicated that while Mrs Gilbert was “very infirm”, both she and her husband had the mental competence to write their own wills. There was no duress and the signing of the wills was witnessed by three people.
The Garda evidence was that a patrol car was called to the scene at about 10.20am on November 14, 2021. Gardaí entered the bungalow and found the elderly couple dead in a bedroom. There was no sign of injury or trauma on either party. The couple were in separate beds.
Garda James Hendricks said there was a tape recorder in the bedroom. A note on it directed gardaí to listen to recordings.
Chief State Pathologist Dr Linda Mulligan carried out autopsies on the deceased at University Hospital in Kerry. She said Tony and Phyllis Gilbert had ingested a poisonous substance which had led to their deaths. Toxicology results confirmed the pair had died having taken a poisonous substance.
Dr Mulligan told the relatives of the deceased that death would have occurred fairly quickly for both. She noted Phyllis Gilbert had stage 4 pancreatic cancer when she died, with the cancer having metastasised through her body.
Coroner Aisling Quilter said it was clear the married couple had made plans prior to their deaths. She returned a verdict of suicide in both cases and offered her heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of the deceased. She said it was “a traumatic” case.
Following the tragedy locals described Mr Gilbert as having been “very talented and artistic”.
A private cremation took place at the Island Crematorium in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork.
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