An inquest has heard how an elderly couple in County Kerry, Ireland, deliberately ended their lives together after leaving instructions for authorities.
Tony and Phyllis Gilbert, both aged 83, were discovered in their bungalow in Dromneavane, Kenmare, on 14 November 2021 by their daughter-in-law, Beryl Gilbert. She had been delivering groceries and, due to COVID-19 precautions, intended to leave them at the door. Instead, she found a disturbing note affixed to the entrance indicating that the couple would be dead inside and asking that Gardaí be called, with a key hidden nearby for entry.
Inside the property, officers found a tape recorder and written instructions to listen to recorded messages. In one recording, Mr. Gilbert said the couple had been “together in life” and planned to remain “together in sleep.”
The Gilberts, originally from the UK, had moved to Kenmare in the 1990s and previously operated a glass engraving business on Henry Street. Their granddaughter, Felicity, described them as deeply close companions who had become increasingly reclusive during the pandemic.
Evidence presented at the inquest revealed that Mr. Gilbert had contacted a solicitor in October 2021 to arrange wills for himself and his wife. They ultimately signed their wills on 10 November, four days before their deaths. The solicitor confirmed both were mentally competent at the time and acted voluntarily.
Gardaí testified that when they entered the bungalow around 10:20 a.m., they found the couple dead in separate beds without visible injuries. Rigor mortis had already set in. A post-mortem by Chief State Pathologist Dr. Linda Mulligan confirmed both had ingested a toxic substance that caused rapid death. She also revealed that Mrs. Gilbert had advanced stage-four pancreatic cancer.
Coroner Aisling Quilter ruled the deaths a joint suicide, acknowledging the case as “traumatic” and extending condolences to the family. Garda Sergeant Aoife Dolan also expressed sympathy on behalf of the police.
Local residents remembered Mr. Gilbert as a gifted, artistic man and described the couple as private and unassuming. A private cremation was later held at the Island Crematorium in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork.
