Wife charged with murder of husband at Alexander Hills

Neighbours of an Alexandra Hills home in which a wife is accused of drugging her husband before cutting his wrists are in shock, saying the couple were lovely people who kept to themselves and never had arguments.

Residents in a quiet street of Alexandra Hills marred by an alleged murder say the victim kept mostly to himself and had recently finished painting his boat.

It comes as Judith Ann Venn, 66, faced court today charged with the domestic violence murder of her husband, 64-year-old Lance Hilton Venn at their Alexandra Hills residence on Jasmine St.

The scene of a murder at Jasmine Street, Alexandra Hills.

In Cleveland court police allege Ms Venn had to be resuscitated after taking sleeping pills. It is alleged she also put Mr Venn to sleep with medication before cutting his wrists with a blade.

A nearby neighbour to the couple, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was a bit desensitised by the shocking turn of events.

“You never know what goes on behind closed doors, I suppose,” he said.

He also said that Mr Venn could usually be found tinkering on his boat which he had just finished painting after coming back from a trip.

The Venns were described as “good neighbours” who mostly kept to themselves and “never had arguments”.

Neighbours Daniel and Sheneyse Burgess said the couple seemed friendly enough and that Mr Venn was in the habit of cleaning weeds out the front of other neighbours’ properties and mowing front lawns.

Residents of Jasmine St at Alexandra Hills Daniel and Sheneyse Burgess. Picture: Marcel Baum

Mr Burgess, who lives directly next to the Venns, said they were “your typical old couple” and reported that little had been seen of them over the past month.

A usually quiet Jasmine St was abuzz with media today to the dismay of some neighbours.

Mr Burgess said he was also taken aback by the number of residents inquiring about what happened.