Two elderly individuals were discovered deceased by their daughter-in-law at their residence, leaving an ominous eight-word message affixed to the front door, as revealed in an inquest. Tony and Phyllis Gilbert, both aged 83, finalized their wills just days before their apparent suicide in Kenmare, Co Kerry in November 2021. Mrs. Gilbert, battling stage four pancreatic cancer, and her husband both perished from ingesting a toxic substance, according to a post-mortem report.
The couple was found lifeless by daughter-in-law Beryl Gilbert at their home in Kenmare. A note pinned to the front door caught her attention, indicating that their demise was planned. Upon police entry, the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert were discovered in separate beds with no signs of injury. The court was informed that the couple had left recordings of their voices on a tape recorder, expressing their intention to be together in death as they were in life.
Their granddaughter mentioned that the couple had a close bond and had become reclusive due to the pandemic. Prior to their deaths, Mr. Gilbert had contacted a solicitor to draft their wills, emphasizing their desire to do so while in good health. Post-mortems confirmed the couple had ingested a poisonous substance, leading to their swift deaths. Dr. Mulligan noted Mrs. Gilbert’s advanced cancer condition.
The coroner ruled the deaths as suicide, highlighting the couple’s premeditated actions. The tragic incident underscores the complexity of mental health issues.
