A 64-year-old man who felt he had ‘nothing left to live for’ after the break up of his marriage killed himself with a crossbow, an inquest heard.
Mars Aspen-Murray, who had changed his name from Martin Espley, was found dead at his home in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, on October 29 last year, an inquest was told.
He had an exit wound on the back of his neck and the bolt was stuck in the ceiling above him, a police officer told the hearing.
Mr Aspen-Murray purchased the crossbow in the summer of 2020, prompting concerns from his friends, after he had previously taken an overdose in 2017 when his marriage broke down and again in 2019, the inquest heard.
Assistant Gloucestershire Coroner Roland Wooderson recorded a conclusion of suicide, adding: ‘Very sadly this is a case where I should record a conclusion of suicide, with death being due to a crossbow bolt injury.’
Mars Aspen-Murray, who had changed his name from Martin Espley, was found dead at his home in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, on October 29 last year
Neighbour Rachel Nobes was the first person to find Mr Aspen-Murray after his death and said in a statement that she had known him since he moved into his home in January 2020.
She said he lived alone and did not go out at all and she did not know of any family.
Mr Wooderson said: ‘On October 29, [Mrs Nobes] knocked on his door to deliver his medication.
‘She went straight in. The front door was unlocked, as it always was.
‘As she walked into the bedroom she could see straightaway that he was deceased. She called paramedics.
‘She says he was a man who kept himself to himself. Earlier in the year he had raised concerns to her that he felt lonely. She didn’t know any details of his family. She believed he was a diabetic.’
Sgt Alexander Pockett of Gloucestershire Police said he arrived at the property with colleagues after the death was reported and found the deceased in the front bedroom.
‘The crossbow bolt was stuck in the ceiling above him’, stated the officer.
‘Both front and rear doors of the property were unlocked but there were no signs of a disturbance or of anything missing.’
An inquest heard 64-year-old Mr Aspen-Murray felt he had ‘nothing left to live for’ after the break up of his marriage before he killed himself with a crossbow
Mr Wooderson said it was the officer’s opinion that Mr Aspen-Murray had taken his own life and that ‘there was no third party involvement’.
A letter from Mr Aspen-Murray’s GP practice at Minchinhampton said he had taken an overdose in 2017 after his marriage broke down.
Mr Wooderson said computer records showed he had also attempted to take his own life on August 16, 2019, under the name Martin Espley.
On that occasion, Mr Apsen-Murray’s solicitor called police to say she received an email from him saying he was taking his own life and he wanted his son to be informed, the inquest heard.
The solicitor said she had drawn up a will for him the previous year.
On that occasion, it was found Mr Aspen-Murray had taken an overdose of prescription medication.
Detective Constable Ashley Bailey said Mr Aspen-Murray was, at that time of his death, spending most of his time in bed or in front of his computer and was depressed.
Mr Aspen-Murray was found by his neighbour Rachel Nobes had known him since he moved into his home in Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, in January 2020
He said he had ‘nothing more to live for’ after separating from his wife a few years earlier.
Mr Aspen-Murray’s GP practice was informed that he had purchased a crossbow in the summer of 2020 after friends raised concerns.
A GP spoke to Mr Aspen-Murray that day and he said he had no plans to kill himself, the inquest heard.
He was provided with the number of the NHS Crisis team and a GP visited him three times over the next few weeks to check on him and was told the crossbow was broken.
The coroner concluded: ‘Very sadly, he had attempted to kill himself on a couple of occasions in the past.’
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