The bodies of Irish-born Thomasina Tobin and her New Zealand-born husband Patrick were found in the hot tub of their rented holiday villa in Cullera, near Valencia, in the early hours of 25 August, sparking weeks of speculation about how the well-liked couple could have died together so suddenly. Their two teenage children, who have mild special needs, discovered the bodies and are now being cared for by relatives in London, while the wider community in Thomasina's home town of Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, prepares for their funerals next Friday.

A family friend has told the Daily Mail that a Spanish coroner has concluded electrocution is the most likely cause of death, superseding earlier theories of chemical poisoning, overheating or drowning caused by a suction fault. The working assumption is that Patrick was electrocuted while trying to pull his wife from the water after she got into difficulty, with one body found in the hot tub and the other beside it. Foul play has been ruled out, but the family says they still lack a full picture of events and expect further action once the investigation concludes. The £2,600-a-week villa, where the couple had booked a two-week break, remains closed as investigators continue their inquiries.