Mystery of the couple found dead outside their house after freezing winter night
AN elderly couple have been found dead outside their isolated home on the Isle of Lewis after one of the coldest nights this winter.
Mystery surrounds the deaths of Donald and Maureen Macmillan, whose bodies were discovered behind their house bins around 8am yesterday.
Police say their ‘sudden deaths’ are under investigation and are being treated as unexplained.
But sources close to the couple fear that 73-year-old Mr Macmillan, known to friends as Boy, may have died after falling and his 67-yearold wife may also have slipped on ice in the same spot while looking for him. The couple then spent the night outside in sub-zero temperatures.
Their house in the village of Gravir doubles as the local post office, which Mr Macmillan ran for nearly 50 years after taking over as postmaster from his father.
Mrs Macmillan was a professional carer for one of their neighbours. She and her husband were active members of the Pairc Trust and Comunn Each draidh na Pairc historical society.
John Randall, former vicechairman of the trust, said: ‘There is some speculation that Boy went out during the night and slipped and cracked his head and Maureen then tried to help, but with tragic consequences. My phone hasn’t stopped ringing. People are in deep shock, really shaken by the news. They will be very badly missed.’
Donnie Morrison, chairman of the historical society, said: ‘We are all in shock. They were very, very knowledgeable about local families and were both committee members of the society.
‘Boy’s family had run the post office for three generations, so together they knew so much about the people in the area and had such an indepth knowledge, which they passed on for future generanot
‘They’ll be very badly missed’
tions. They were also active in all kind of community events and will be badly missed.’
Temperatures plunged below zero on Lewis on Thursday night and at noon yesterday had barely crept above 2c.
Neighbour James Thornton, 49, said: ‘I had heard they had slipped outside. One of them had slipped, the other one had slipped and hurt themselves, and they were found this morning.
‘It was icy this morning and last night we had a frost.’
Muriel Mackenzie, who was looked after by Mrs Macmillan, only found out about the tragedy because the carer did turn up for work. The 73year-old said: ‘I was waiting for her to help me get up in the morning and I phoned the post office and said, “is Maureen all right?”. I’m just so sorry about it.’
Mr Macmillan played the part of Santa Claus at Pairc Primary every year and ran the register at the local graveyard. His cousin Ann Macleod, who lives in the same village, said: ‘I am still in shock. It hasn’t sunk in yet.
‘I just can’t believe it. You can’t believe something like that can happen, not to two people.’
Murdo Mackenzie, 52, said: ‘They were a hell of a nice couple. I’ve known them all my life, I don’t know what has happened. It’s just a major loss to our community.’
Another local said: ‘It is like a double hammer blow, a terrible tragedy. Boy and Maureen were really popular and respected by everybody.
‘Boy was always pleasant and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble for him. There was some talk that he was about to retire. They were a devoted couple.’
Inspector Roddy Mackay of Police Scotland said: ‘We are treating the deaths as unexplained and at the present time we are carrying out a full inquiry.’