- Keith Johnson, 58, and wife Andrea, 44, discovered by police in Norfolk
- Officers are not looking for any suspects in relation to the incident
By ANDY YOUNG
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Found dead: Conservative Councillor Keith Johnson, a member of North Norfolk District Council for Cromer ward, was found shot outside his home with his wife Andrea, 44
A council leader and his wife were found shot dead outside their home yesterday afternoon.
Keith Johnson, 58, and his 44-year-old wife Andrea were discovered by police after neighbours called emergency services.
Police are not looking for any suspects in relation to the incident in the quiet housing estate in Roughton, near Cromer, Norfolk.
Officers called to the couple's home said they discovered Mrs Johnson's body in what is believed to be their front garden and her husband's in a back garden.
It is not known whether it was the couple's back garden.
Mr Johnson was a Conservative councillor for North Norfolk District Council and was a familiar face in the local area.
It is understood he had been with his wife, a customer service worker at Homebase, for 18 years, and they married in 2004.
The couple did not have children of their own but Mr Johnson has children from a previous marriage, as well as grandchildren.
Cromer deputy mayor David Pritchard said: 'Keith and Andrea were a lovely couple and I was not aware that they were having any problems.
'She did not have children of her own, but she doted on his grandchildren. Both myself and my wife are in a state of shock.
'Keith was very well thought of in the town. In fact he was very well known and respected across the whole district.
'For the last couple of years he was a good friend of mine. We have been out with them to social events many times and I always found him great company.'
The area around the couple's bungalow remained cordoned off by police last night, with Norfolk police conducting forensic searches to establish the sequence of events.
Mr Pritchard added: 'I last saw them on Friday night at a street market in Cromer which Keith was responsible for setting up. There was no indication of any problems at all. Andrea was happy and chatty as usual.
'I know that Keith was a beater for pheasant shoots and I know from conversation that they kept a shotgun in their house.'
Compit Hills, pictured, where the body of a man and woman were discovered with gunshot wounds in gardens
Detective Superintendent Peter Hornby, who is leading the inquiry into their deaths, said: 'Whilst I understand this is a very shocking incident for the neighbours of the two people involved, I can reassure them that, at this stage, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with it.'
Mr Johnson began his career in local government with Sheringham Urban District Council in 1972.
He was a member of Cromer Town Council for 29 years and during his time as Mayor of Cromer he sailed around the coast of Britain aboard HMS Cromer, as a guest of the Royal Navy. In his spare time, he acted as a football referee for local matches.
According to his official page on the North Norfolk District Council website, he was looking forward 'to many more years being of service to the District, and to Cromer'.
Sad for those involved. I cannot believe how many gun deaths there are in the UK, it seems like there are many.
- Richard , Midi Pyrnes, France, 02/12/2012 23:28
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