Man, 46, to appear in court charged with murder of ‘inseparable’ elderly couple who were found dead by their carer
A 46-year-old man has been charged with the murder of an elderly couple who were found stabbed to death at their home in Blackburn, Lancashire, prompting a heavy police presence and an outpouring of tributes from the local community. Yasin Leli, of Hardman Street, was arrested on suspicion of murder hours after Haji Ismail Ahmed Leli, 80, and Hajiyani Fatima Ismail Leli, 78, were discovered with stab wounds by their carer on Monday morning. He has been charged with two counts of murder and remanded in custody ahead of an appearance at Blackburn Magistrates' Court.
Lancashire Constabulary said officers were called at 8.22am on 7 September to a report of two people found with stab injuries, and the couple, who had been married for more than 60 years, were pronounced dead at the scene from multiple stab wounds. Their family described them as "inseparable" and "the very heart of who we are", thanking police, local councillors and their mosque, Masjide Quwwatal Islam, for their support while asking for privacy. Neighbours described waking to find the street cordoned off with a forensic tent, with one resident noting the couple were well known locally and "very private".
- Man, 46, charged with murdering elderly Blackburn couple found stabbed at home
- Yasin Leli remanded in custody, due in court on 11 September
- Family called couple "inseparable" after 60 years of marriage
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Blackburn, in Lancashire, is where an elderly couple were found dead at their home earlier this month, with police treating the deaths as murder from the outset. Officers were called to the address on the morning of 7 September after the pair, who had been married for more than 60 years, were discovered with stab wounds by their carer. The couple were well known and well regarded in their local community and at their mosque.
A 46-year-old man, named as Yasin Leli and living on the same street, was arrested shortly afterwards on suspicion of murder. He has since been formally charged with two counts of murder and remanded in custody, meaning he is being kept in prison until his case is dealt with by the courts. Charging someone is a decision made by prosecutors once they judge there is enough evidence, but it is not the same as a finding of guilt, which only a court can determine.
The case matters locally because of the shock it caused in a close-knit community, and because the victims' family, neighbours and local institutions have spoken publicly about the couple's character and the impact of their deaths. The next stage is a first court hearing, a routine step in the criminal justice system at which formal charges are read and future proceedings, such as a trial, are set in motion.