Three held over murder of Wolverhampton pensioners

Three men were arrested today on suspicion of murdering a Black Country couple believed to have been killed by burglars in their own home.

Two men from Wolverhampton, aged 32 and 21, and one from Birmingham, aged 30, are being quizzed at separate police stations in the West Midlands on suspicion of killing Guiseppe and Caterina Massaro.

Detectives today revealed the couple's TV had been stolen and urged anyone who been offered one for sale to get in touch.

The bodies of the elderly couple were discovered by their granddaughter at their home in the Heath Town area of Wolverhampton on Friday night.

Their terraced house had been ransacked and it is believed the couple had been killed up to 24 hours earlier.

Lindsey Booth, aged 22, found her 80-year-old grandfather and 77-year-old grandmother dead in their bed after going to their house to check on them.

Miss Booth said she and her family "would not be able to rest" until the killers were brought to justice.

She said today: "Words cannot describe the devastation that has struck our family after discovering our beloved grandparents hurt by the hands of someone else.

"We cannot even begin to grasp the evil that took place in their home and how frightened they would have been.

"An entire generation was taken away from us that day and we cannot comprehend how something could go this far. We only hope this devastation can save the lives of many other people by being aware that tragedy can strike at any time so all we can do is be more vigilant towards our neighbours and the entire community.

"Their lives will be sadly missed and this has severely affected our family and a lot of our friends."

Detectives were today still trying to piece together the couple's final moments. Forensic officers, detectives and local police units remained at the scene in Woden Road today.

Officers are desperate to learn more about the movements of the couple's car - a black Peugeot 307 - on either Thursday or Friday. That vehicle, registration PK56 VRW, was stolen but was found recovered a few streets away in Tithe Croft during the early hours of Saturday morning.

The car was described as having two distinctive features - an orange fir tree air freshener and a sticker of the Virgin Mary on the left hand side of the windscreen.

Supt Mark Payne said today: "The community holds the key to this investigation. Anyone who saw anyone coming in or out of that house, whether they recognise them or not, should contact police.

"We have lots of very experienced police officers and detectives dealing with this."

Prayers were said at nearby St Patrick's Church, on Wolverhampton Road, yesterday, where the couple worshipped.

A post mortem examination on the bodies of Mr and Mrs Massaro was expected to resume this afternoon. The results, which will determine the cause of their deaths, are expected to be revealed later today.

Neighbours said today they were still coming to terms with what happened to the couple. Ralph Forshaw, aged 29, who lives on the street with girlfriend Shera Cunningham, 25, and their three young children, said: "It makes you want to get out and move away.

"It is a terrible thing to happen. Even more when it is only a few doors away from your house."

Anyone with information should contact officers from Operation Stoke on 0345 113 5000.

By Shaun Jepson