Elderly Dunedin couple's deaths not suspicious - police

Police at the scene. Photo / Gregor Richardson

Police investigating the unexplained deaths of an elderly couple who were found dead yesterday say the deaths are not suspicious.

The couple, who had been married 62 years, were found in their Brockville, Dunedin, home yesterday.

The husband and wife, in their 80s, were originally from Scotland and had lived in the house for more than 40 years.

Earlier police said a homicide investigation was possible following the unexplained deaths. But this afternoon Detective Senior Sergeant Kallum Croudis said that was very unlikely.

"Police were called to the address yesterday morning after the couple's son found the pair," Mr Croudis said in a statement.

"Police are continuing their scene examination at the address today and post-mortems are likely to be completed tomorrow," he said.

"Police say that, based on current information, they do not believe the deaths of the elderly couple are suspicious and no one else is being sought in relation to the matter."

Forensic scientists entered the house mid-afternoon and police guarded the scene yesterday.

Neighbours of the couple told the Otago Daily Times the news stunned them.

"They couldn't be more [in love]," the neighbour said, adding that the pair were "lovely people" and "just a gorgeous couple".

The couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in November 2012 after marrying at Yarrow Kirk in Selkirk, Scotland, in 1952.

Another neighbour regularly saw the man tending his garden, which he was very proud of.

"You couldn't have wished for better neighbours," she said.

Another neighbour said he also had not seen the couple since Christmas.

"They were really nice people."

- additional reporting, Otago Daily Times