A 33-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a married couple on a holiday island in Essex.

Stephen Baxter, 61, and Carol Baxter, 64, were found dead in a house in Victory Road on Mersea Island, near Colchester, at around 1.30pm on Easter Sunday.

At first, their deaths were not thought to be suspicious – but following toxicology analysis, two men and a woman were arrested on Thursday, Essex Police said.

Luke D’Wit, 33, of Churchfields, West Mersea, Colchester, has been charged with two counts of murder, one count of possession of a Class A drug, and one count of theft.

He will appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.

A woman and a man have been released on bail.

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The Baxters were directors of a company called Cazsplash, which produces shower mats and bathroom accessories.

Detective inspector Lydia George, who is leading the investigation, said: “This is a significant development in our investigation as we piece together the circumstances around the deaths of Carol and Stephen.

“I would like to thank everyone who has come forward to speak to us throughout this complex investigation.”

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