Killing in the Family

After a brutal hammer attack in Telford, West Mercia Police have a 31-year-old man in custody. The man’s attack on his family has left his mother dead and his father hospitalised with head injuries. The suspect has a history of mental illness, and detectives must wait for a psychological assessment before they can begin to interview him.

While they wait, senior investigating officer DCI Tony Garner orders a forensic search of the family home to try to get to the bottom of how the horror unfolded. Blood pattern analysis is carried out to determine the nature of the attack, and a pair of mismatched gloves and a hammer are removed for further examination.

Meanwhile, the suspect’s father has recovered enough to be interviewed in hospital and gives the team their first account of events that night.