Honeymoon murder charges 'much closer'

Updated 12.35 Sun Aug 17 2008

Keywords: police, Honeymoon, charges, Antigua, murder

Police are "much closer" to charging the alleged killers of honeymoon couple Ben and Catherine Mullany.

Inspector Cornelius Charles said Antigua police had reached a critical stage in their investigation as two of eight people arrested this week were released.

Charges had already been brought against two women aged 32 and 22, who appeared before magistrates in the island's capital St John's on Thursday and were remanded in custody

Charges had already been brought against two women aged 32 and 22, who appeared before magistrates in the island's capital St John's on Thursday and were remanded in custody.

Police were reluctant to disclose details of the charges, but it is understood they relate to property stolen from the Mullanys' holiday cottage.

When asked if police were now close to making a murder charge, Inspector Charles told a newspaper: "We have got to that stage in the investigation. It is now a strong possibility. We are much closer than we were."

The couple, from Pontardawe, south Wales, were shot in the head in their cottage at the Cocos Hotel and Resort in Antigua on the last day of their honeymoon on July 27.

The murdered honeymooners were buried in a private ceremony on Wednesday, just one month after saying their wedding vows.

It is believed the ceremony took place at St John the Evangelist Church, in Cilybebyll, where they married on July 12.