In Cornwall, United Kingdom
See "Businessman shot dead and wife critically injured at country home."
Jehovah's Witness Shot Dead; Wife Critical; Daughter's Boyfriend is Suspect
by Kenneson 2 Replies latest jw friends
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A businessman described as a "loving father" was shot dead and his wife was critically injured in an attack at their detached country home.
Adam Hustler, 41, and his wife Amanda, 39, both Jehovah's Witnesses, were believed to have been attacked after a family argument.
A 23-year-old man, thought to be the boyfriend of the couple's 20-year-old daughter Danielle, was later arrested.
He remains in custody.
The couple, who also have a teenage daughter, Abigail, 16, lived in Porth Kea House, a seven bedroomed detached property, at Porth Kea, near Truro, Cornwall.
The hamlet, close the banks of the Fal, is in an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Police sealed off the narrow country lanes leading to the house as forensic teams examined the crime scene.
The couple's daughters, who were unharmed, are thought to have raised the alarm after the double shooting at 9.50 pm on Saturday night.
Police and paramedics found both victims seriously injured and they were taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske, Truro, where Mr Hustler died.
His wife was shot twice in the back as she tried to flee her husband's killer.
Armed police arrested the suspected attacker at his home in Newbridge, near Penzance, seven hours after the shootings.
He was taken to hospital with head wounds that police believe were self inflicted.
Detectives recovered a firearm but gave no details of it.
Adam Hustler ran a successful drain clearing business in Truro of which he was managing director and other members of the family were also directors.
Danielle is an engineer at the firm.
A fellow Jehovah's Witness, Tim Mears, said about 100 worshippers held prayers for the family at the Kingdom Hall, Truro.
Mr Hustler's brothers Christopher, Timothy and James are also Jehovah's Witnesses but were too shocked to attend the service.
Mr Mears said: "The whole family is very shocked by the terrible events and their friends and family are providing loving support and comfort.
"We are all shocked and shaken to the core because this is a beautiful little place and you would never expect anything as terrible as this to happen."
He added "The family has been Jehovah's Witnesses for generations, and I know Adam, both as a father, and as a friend.
"He is a lovely man who was a loving father and a faithful and loyal husband who cared very much about his wife and daughters.
"We are all praying for Amanda who is a wonderful, loving person and we hope her injuries are not too severe. This is such a terrible thing to happen to such a close and loving family.
"Danielle is very bright and did very well at school where she did a baccalaureate."
A local councilor, Tomas Hill, said Mr Hustler had recently moved into Porth Kea House and was renovating it.
"He had just finished and was looking forward to setting up a real family home," he said.
Devon and Cornwall police said a 23-year-old man was arrested in West Cornwall and a firearm was recovered at the scene.
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This time the religions policies plays a direct role:
Jehovah's Witness shot dead and wife critically-ill after being gunned-down 'by daughter's jilted boyfriend'
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 5:49 PM on 21st September 2008A businessman has been murdered and his wife was in a critical condition in hospital last night following a double shooting at their £500,000 luxury home in Cornwall.
Jehovah's Witness Adam Hustler and his wife Amanda were allegedly gunned down by their daughter's jilted lover who is believed to have been forced to end the relationship because of their strict religious views.
Mr Hustler, 41, is believed to have been shot at close range with a high-velocity hunting rifle which tore through his vital organs.
Amanda, who is in her 40s, is understood to have been shot twice - possibly in her back - at the couple's remote country home Porth Kea House in the picturesque hamlet of Porthkea, near Truro.
It is understood that the couple were strict followers of the religion and forced their eldest daughter Danielle, 20, to break up with her non-Witness boyfriend.
According to Jehovah's Witnesses who knew the family, her boyfriend was 'devastated' by the break up and could have launched the attack in revenge.
The 'very private' couple were rushed to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, Truro, but Adam died of his injuries.
Amanda was later transferred from Treliske to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, Devon, where she is said to be in a critical condition.
Jehovah's Witnesses are forbidden from receiving blood transfusions, and it is still unclear about whether one was needed.
Both their daughters, Danielle and Abbie, who is in her mid teens, were not believed to be hurt.
Sources at the hospital said the gunman allegedly shot Mr Hustler at close range using a high powered gun such as a .22 hunting rifle, before blasting Amanda in the back.
According to the source, the gunman then attempted to take his own life by shooting himself, but was unsuccessful.
More than 40 armed police and trained negotiators raced to the Hustler's six-bedroom detached house following a 999 call shortly before 10pm on Saturday night.
A 23-year-old man was arrested this morning at around 5am at an address in Newbridge, near Penzance in west Cornwall, and was later taken to hospital.
It is understood that an armed unit of officers and a trained negotiator were used in the arrest.
The victims' families were yesterday staging a vigil beside Amanda's bedside at hospital.
Horrified neighbours have spoken of their shock and revealed their own thoughts about what had happened.
One neighbour in the idyllic hamlet, who refused to give her name, said: 'I understand that one of his daughters was going out with a chap in his 20s.
'There's a rumour going around that it was this person who could have been responsible for what happened.
'When he was told they had to break up, he just lost it and wanted to take revenge.'
Yesterday Devon and Cornwall Police said they were called following a distressed 999 call from a resident who heard several gun shots.
A police spokesman said: 'On arrival officers found a man and a woman had sustained injuries.
'Both injured parties were taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske (corr), Truro, where the man died of his injuries.'
Mr Hustler, the managing director of Clear-Flow Waste Management in Bissoe, Truro, is understood to have bought the plush three storey house in October 2007 and renovated it to its current state.
Neighbours said the detached seven-bedroom white property, which nestles at the end of a single lane track, is worth in the region of £500,000 and is the biggest in the village.
The idyllic hamlet - one of Cornwall's most exclusive suburbs - is home to under 100 people and contains just a few dozen houses.
A spokesman or Clear-Flow refused to comment but added: 'It's a great shame.
'Unfortunately we cannot comment any further at this point.'
The Jehovah's Witnesses today paid tribute to Mr Hustler, who they described as a loving husband and devoted dad.
Spokesman Tim Mears said: 'The family have asked me to say that they are very shocked by these terrible and very unexpected events.
'Friends and family are providing loving support and comforting those affected.
'Our thoughts and prayers are with Amanda, and her two daughters at this most difficult time.
'The police are dealing with the situation and I understand an arrest has been made.'
He added: 'Adam Hustler was a loving husband and father. He was a generous and caring person who thought the world of his wife and daughters.
'He was thoughtful and always ready to help and support others when they needed help.
'He is a great loss to all who new him, and especially those that shared his Christian values.'
The Cornwall County councillor for Feock and Kea, Tomas Hill, added: 'Adam had just moved into Porth Kea house and was renovating every last part of it.
'He had just finished and was looking forward to setting up a real family home, a dedicated family man.
'They were very respected and kept their lives very private from other people so nobody got to know them properly.
'It is one of the safest and most desirable places in Cornwall so for something like this to happen is a complete shock for everybody.
'He had no enemies so for somebody to do this there must be something wrong with them in the head, they must be ill or sick.'
Local electrical engineer Les Boulter, 61, had several business dealings with Mr Hustler, who contracted his waste management firm a number of times.
Married Mr Boulter is one of Mr Hustler's nearest neighbours, but said he did not know him socially.
He added: 'Adam was a jolly bloke who did what exactly what he said on the tin.
'He always delivered what he said he was going to on time, which is exactly why I used his company.
'Adam was a real high-flyer who was doing really well with the company and he had just expanded his fleet of vehicles.
'It must have been a multi-million pound operation that was growing year on year.'
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