Murder probe: Identities of mum, daughter found dead in Millicent home revealed
UPDATED: The identities of a mother and her daughter who were found in a Millicent home — where they had been for up to four days — have been revealed, as their alleged killer appeared in court.
THE bodies of a mother and her daughter could have been inside a Millicent home for up to four days before they were discovered on Monday morning.
Police have revealed the women – aged 84 and 63 – may have been killed last Thursday inside the Plunkett Tce home they occupied together.
Court documents released to The Advertiser reveal the victims were Sherril Pountney and her mother Patricia Phillips.
Millicent man Bo Krister Olsson, 53, who The Advertiser understands was married to Ms Pountney, alerted police to the double tragedy when he walked into the Berri police station, 440km away, about 10am on Monday and handed himself in.
“He stated that we would find the bodies of two people at these premises, and soon after they sent the police here and found the bodies of the two ladies,” Detective Senior Sergeant Mark McEachern said.
It comes as 32-year-old father Rex Court died in hospital after being seriously hurt in an unrelated mass brawl in Mount Gambier at the weekend. A 15-year-old boy has been charged with his murder.
Mr Olsson was charged with two counts of murder on Monday evening and faced Berri Magistrates Court this morning.
Handcuffed and wearing a white forensic jumpsuit, he said nothing during his first court appearance.
Magistrate Bob Harrap remanded him in custody to reappear in court in July.
SA Police has appealed for anyone who may have seen Olsson or his white 1998 Subaru Outback — registration S564AAS — since last Thursday to come forward.
He may have been anywhere between Millicent and Berri, across the Limestone Coast area or even up to Mildura and Broken Hill.
Investigators are trying to figure out where Olsson has been between Thursday and the time he presented at Berri Police Station on Monday morning.
“All we will say at the moment is that it’s a domestic-type relationship but it’s very early in the investigation so we don’t know a lot at this stage,” Sgt McEachern said.
“We believe (the suspect) is from Millicent, we are still trying to determine whether he actually lived at this address or was just visiting.”
Sgt McEachern said it was clear the bodies had been in the home for at least several days and asked neighbours to cast their minds back to any suspicious activity or noises in the preceding days.
“Particularly last Thursday the 11th of May – some time in the morning there may or may not have been a disturbance heard by neighbours here, so any information regarding that would be greatly appreciated,” he said.
“Our suspicion at this stage is that it occurred on Thursday, but we are open minded to a day or so afterwards as well, but at least a couple of days.”
He said police did not know where Mr Olsson had been over the weekend before arriving at Berri Police Station.
One neighbour told The Advertiser he had not learnt of the tragedy until police arrived but would not comment further.
Another neighbour returned to his house on Monday before speaking with detectives and gestured to the rear of the property.
The discovery of two bodies shocked the small town of Millicent, which has a population of about 5000 people. Sgt McEachern said while the suspect had gone to police voluntarily, the investigation was still in its infancy.
“We are not in a position to release anything as far as the identities of the two females at this stage, and the cause of death will be determined from a post-mortem in the next couple of days,” he said.
Forensic investigators remained at the scene throughout the day, however police would not reveal how the women had been killed other than to say they were “clearly suspicious deaths”.
Officers wore white suits and masks as they searched.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.