A “devoted” couple who could not live without each other killed their dogs and then themselves in a suicide pact. Married soulmates Cassie and Francis Collins had both been struggling with challenges in their lives. Their bodies were discovered at their home by a family member who had been concerned for their welfare.
Three of their five dogs were also found dead at their property. Police later discovered that their other dogs, two Dobermans, had been put to sleep at the vets after claiming they had been involved in an attack.
An inquest into their deaths has taken place at Exeter Coroner’s Court this week.
The court heard that in the lead-up to their deaths, the couple had carried out a number of pre-planned actions including creating a joint will, sending letters and emails, and having two of their dogs put to sleep.
Cassie’s sister Jodie told in a statement read out during the inquest how both Cassie and Francis had spoken in the past of wanting to end their lives.
She then received a letter through the post from Mrs Collins on September 11, 2021, in which she apologised for being unable to cope with the pain she was in anymore.
The sister said that once access was gained into the couple’s home, on the day she received the letter, Mrs Collins was discovered lifeless in her bed cuddling three of their dogs – a Chihuahua and two Miniature Pinschers – which were also dead.
Mr Collins was found dead in the hallway.
Jodie said: “Cassie had said a couple of years ago that if there were going to kill themselves, they would kill the dogs as well as they wouldn’t want anyone else looking after them.”
Mrs Collins was a student nurse and Mr Collins used to serve in the military.
They had been together for 11 years after meeting in a call together and said to have had a very close relationship and were “really good together and joined at the hip”.
But they were both dealing with the launch of a new police investigation into the conduct of Mr Collins.
The 36-year-old had previously been jailed for throwing homemade firebombs onto a neighbour’s drive following a civil dispute over the ownership of a piece of land when they lived in Wales.
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Devon Live reports that the couple then relocated to Cullompton in Devon in 2020.
Mrs Collins, who was originally from Exeter, had endured many years living in chronic pain due to knee and shoulder injuries that left her unable to work and often bedbound.
She was said to be under the care of a pain management team and told her physiotherapist she felt “trapped in a cage”.
She had been referred to an NHS talking therapy service but was discharged a month before her death because she said she did not have suicidal plans.
Mr Collins, who was born in Hereford, was said to have been diagnosed with adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) while living in the USA and had a long history of depression and anxiety.
He had previously tried to end his life. The talking therapy service assessed him as having severe psychotic depression with daily suicidal thoughts and was urgently referred to the NHS mental health team.
He told them how when he was 10, his father ended his life. He was noted to be suffering from ongoing back pain, financial stress and was worried about the ongoing police investigation.
The dogs were described as being like their “children” because due to Mrs Collins being in so much chronic pain she was not able to have children.
Her sister said that Mrs Collins had previously spoken about not being able to live with the pain she was in and that the pending police investigation had left the couple “really low”.
She said: “I think this was the tipping point.”
Mrs Collins’s mum Deborah Coombes told the inquest on Monday that she had been aware her 35-year-old daughter had struggled with suicidal thoughts but hoped she would not act on them.
She said it was her belief that the culmination of pain she was in, their “troubles” in Wales and the latest police investigation had led to her death.
Mrs Coombes said: “I can 100 percent say Francis wouldn’t have killed her.
“They were devoted and soulmates and he said if anything happened to Cassie he would kill himself as she was everything to him.”
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If you need a response immediately, it’s best to call them on the phone. You can reach them by calling 116 123, by emailing jo@samaritans.org or by visiting www.samaritans.org.
