Police investigating sudden deaths of Cairns couple Jamie and Krystel Paul

Awful new details have come to light after a woman was killed by her husband in a suspected murder-suicide in Cairns.

Jamie and Krystel Paul died in a suspected murder-suicide. Picture: Instagram

A woman who was killed by her husband in a suspected murder-suicide was reportedly planning to leave him when her life was cut short.

Police and emergency services were called to a home in Mount Sheridan, Cairns about 7.15pm on Tuesday to conduct a welfare check.

Upon arrival at the Verbena Drive address, officers found the bodies of Krystel and James Paul, both 41, in the bathroom and main room of the house respectively. Both had sustained gunshot wounds.

Detectives are now investigating the circumstances relating to the couples’s sudden deaths.

It has since emerged that Ms Paul had revealed to those close to her she was planning to leave her husband, the Cairns Post reported.

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Krystel Paul on her bridal boutique's Instagram. Picture: Instagram

While the high school sweethearts had no police history of domestic violence or mental health incidents, there are reports Ms Paul may have been subject to violence from her husband.

High profile domestic violence advocate Sherele Moody claimed she received messages from someone close to Ms Paul, which gave insight into her final moments.

“Krystel Paul had packed her bags, put them in the boot of her car and was walking out the door. He shot her to death,” Ms Moody wrote on Thursday.

“This is why women don’t report. This is why women don’t leave.”

Ms Moody’s foundation, Australian Femicide Watch, listed Ms Paul as the 31st woman killed in a domestic violence incident in Australia this year.

10yo tells neighbours her parents are dead

A 10-year-old girl was told to run to a neighbour’s house for help moments before her father shot her mother in the suspected murder-suicide.

Cairns’ Police Detective Acting Inspector Alina Bell revealed on Wednesday afternoon that the couple’s daughter was “alerted to the incident occurring” and left the house moments before the incident.

The 10-year-old went to neighbour Danna Lancini’s house, where a call was made to police.

“We provided an immediate response due to the concerns of the welfare of the occupants of that house, and unfortunately upon arrival, both male and female were located deceased,” Detective Acting Inspector Bell said.

Cairns couple Krystel and James Paul. Picture: Instagram

The couple with their daughter, now aged 10. Picture: Instagram

Speaking to The Cairns Post, Ms Lancini said the girl told her that her “dad sent me here because (my mum is) dead”.

“(Her dad) told her to run to (my) house and then ring her grandma and tell her that the mum’s dead,” Ms Lancini said.

“I didn’t believe it …(but) he must’ve rung the ambulance because when I looked out, the police was there.

“It happened all at one … the daughter was in shock, and the police didn’t really say anything.”

Ms Lancini said her husband “heard the two, ‘bang, bang’” but had assumed the gunshots were the sound of neighbours doing home renovations.

“Then the daughter was on our front door,” she said.

“The two shots must have been when she was running.”

A Queensland Police mobile police facility van and trailer is set up at Verbena Street, Mt Sheridan, after the sudden death of a man and a woman on Tuesday night. Picture: Brendan Radke

The couple was not known to police, and there were no police records of domestic violence or mental health issues in the household.

Mr Paul was, however, reportedly a registered gun owner, with multiple firearms kept at the home. It’s not known which weapon was used in his or his wife’s death.

“It’s always possible that things go on behind closed doors that family, friends and police are not aware of, but our investigations have indicated to date that there is no indication that there was any domestic violence in that relationship.

“Ongoing investigations are trying to establish why this tragedy has occurred and we will do all we can to get some answers for those family members.

“We’ll conduct a full investigation – speaking to friends, family, associates, work colleagues … we’ll also look into bank records just to try and establish how this tragic incident has come about.

“This investigation isn’t being treated as suspicious, however we always remain open-minded and conduct a comprehensive investigation.”

The couple pictured in 2017.

Ms Lancini said the neighbourhood had been rocked by the tragic incident.

“They’ve been here (in Cairns) a while I think, they were childhood sweethearts,” she said.

“I never would’ve expected this to happen to them, there were no signs, nothing – they were just so good. Like, the family’s really good.”

Cooper Smith, who lives on the other side of the Paul’s home, had been looking after the couple’s dog at the time.

“To go through all that effort, you know, build a house up there, and get a lovely little puppy, and then just throw it all away,” Mr Smith said.

“To leave your daughter … it’s horrible, I just don’t have words for it, honestly.”

The couple’s daughter was now in the care of family, Detective Acting Inspector Bell said.

“This is not only a tragic occurrence for friends and family, it also significantly impacts on the whole of the community,” she said.

Originally published as Police investigating sudden deaths of Cairns couple Jamie and Krystel Paul