Zimbabwean Mother, Two Children Found Dead in Suspected Triple Murder in UK

A Zimbabwean family has been devastated by tragedy after a mother and her two children were found dead at their home in Great Denham, near Bedford, England, in what police are investigating as a suspected triple murder.

According to the Daily Mail, the bodies of Zandile Tshuma and her two children were discovered on Monday after police carried out a welfare check prompted by concerns that the family had not been seen for several days.

Officers reportedly forced entry into the property before making the grim discovery.

The Daily Mail identified the children’s father as Mark Tshuma (poctured), a senior IT manager earning an estimated £100,000 a year. Bedfordshire Police say he has been identified as the prime suspect and is believed to have left the United Kingdom.

Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy described the case as “a deeply distressing incident” and confirmed specialist detectives were leading what he called an “incredibly complex investigation.”

“Our thoughts are first and foremost with all those affected,” Murphy said.

The family is understood to have roots in Zimbabwe, a detail that has sent shockwaves through the Zimbabwean community at home and abroad.

Neighbours described the Tshumas as a quiet, respectable family. One woman, who laid flowers outside the home, told the Daily Mail: “We are really sorry to lose her. She was such a gracious mother.”

Police have stressed there is no indication of a wider threat to the public but have increased patrols in the area while investigations continue.

Tshuma, 45, known as Mark, was captured on CCTV footage at Heathrow airport on Saturday as he fled to Zimbabwe, two days before the bodies of his wife, Zandile Tshuma, 42, and children, Natalie, 15, and Nala, five, were found in their home in Bedford.

Tshuma, a £100,000-a-year senior IT manager, was seen dressed in black, with a blue sweater and apple watch, clutching bottles of Coke and water, holding a boarding pass and pushing a suitcase as he went through an E-gate at Heathrow.

Detective Inspector Lee Martin, Bedfordshire Police senior investigating officer, said: ‘We have been carrying out numerous lines of enquiry as part of this fast-paced, complex investigation. We know that Mark Tshuma left the country on Saturday and is now believed to be in Zimbabwe.

‘We are urgently working to find and apprehend him, and would appeal to him directly to hand himself in.

‘Mark, unthinkable harm has been caused to those around you, and this has left your relatives and friends utterly devastated. Criminal investigation knows no borders. We are actively working with national and international agencies to pursue every available line of enquiry to track you down.

‘Please do the right thing, come forward and hand yourself in to local authorities.

‘Our thoughts are still very much with Zandile, Natalie and Nala, as well as all of those who loved and knew them, at this extremely difficult time.’

Friends of Zandile revealed that she and Tshuma were in the process of divorcing and had recently had the house valued in readiness of it going on the market.

Mark told friends he did not want a divorce as he could not live without Zandile and their children.

One friend, who did not want to be named said: ‘They had been having marriage problems for quite a while. Their relationship had broken down and Zandile had had enough.

‘She was a great mother and wife and a lot of the problems were down to Mark’s controlling behaviour.

‘She’d told us that they’d had the house valued and had decided to separate. She wanted to start a new life with the kids.’

Another friend added: ‘The marriage was over and Zandile wanted to move on without Mark. She was a very clever woman who worked in IT and was more than capable of creating a new life for herself with the girls.

‘It’s absolutely heart breaking what’s happened and we are all devastated. Zandile was looking forward to the future and we’ll all miss her terribly.’

The estranged couple appeared together at a school sports day on the Friday – just a day before he fled to Zimbabwe.

The children attended local private schools. Natalie was a student at the £20,000-a-year Bedford Girls School while Nala is believed to have attended Pilgrims Pre-Preparatory School.

Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy said: ‘This is a deeply distressing incident in which a mother and her two children are believed to have been murdered.

‘Our thoughts are first and foremost with all those affected.’

‘This is the early stages of what is an incredibly complex investigation. We are committing all necessary resources to establish exactly what has happened and to find the person responsible.

‘As a result of enquiries undertaken so far, we have identified a suspect, who was known to all three victims, and who we believe has since left the country.

The family were said to have originated from Zimbabwe.

A neighbour who had lived next to the family for two years described them as ‘decent’ and ‘quite well to do’.

She told the Daily Mail: ‘They had a five series BMW, which I’d see them cleaning. He must have had a good job to afford that and to buy the house which has been renovated in the last few years.’

The detached house, bought two years ago for £1.3 million by Tshuma – who has a degree in Computing Informatics from the University of Plymouth – has a swimming pool, four bedrooms and four bathrooms.

Assistant Chief Constable John Murphy added: ‘While there is nothing to suggest there is any wider risk to the public, we will be increasing the police presence in and around the area to support the investigation and provide reassurance to residents.’

‘I would also ask people to be mindful of the privacy of the victims and avoid speculating about what might have happened.’