Their daughter stumbled upon her parents and their pet dog, all shot in the head, amidst her father’s financial woes, as revealed during an inquest.

The tragic discovery of Stephen Jefferies, aged 74, and his wife Christine, 72, occurred on October 5 of the previous year at their residence in Trowbridge, Cardiff.

Two days prior, Christine, a mother of two, had noted in her diary: “Hubby not quite right this evening,” hinting at her husband’s troubled state.

During an inquest held in Pontypridd, South Wales, the couple’s daughter, Martine, recounted entering the home and noticing jars strategically placed behind the front door.

Her search led her to find the family dog, May, lying on the floor near the bedroom entrance.

Martine described to the inquest: “As I went upstairs, I noticed how unusually tidy everything was, and that’s when I saw the dog lying there.”

‘The dog is normally all over me when I walked into the house. I saw my mam and thought she looked quite grey. I thought she is not well again.

‘My next thought was where is my dad then. I don’t even know if I did see him. I just knew. I think it was more when I looked at the dog again and I saw the blood.

An inquest in Pontypridd, South Wales, heard the couple’s daughter, Martine (pictured), had entered the house to find jars placed behind the front door

Police arrive at the scene (pictured) after Martine discovered the family’s pet dog May on the floor in the bedroom doorway

‘It sounds strange but I dreamt it. It’s really odd. Maybe it was on my mind.

‘I knew there was nothing I could do. I knew my mother wasn’t with us anymore. I was quite calm. I can’t believe how calm I was. There was no hysteria or screams.’

The couple had written diary entries in the days leading up to their deaths.

Martine said: ‘I don’t think my mother was involved in any of this. I found a cake she had made. She was going to write Christmas cards with a neighbour.’

The inquest heard Martine went to the neighbour’s home in Trowbridge, Cardiff, following the discovery, telling them they needed to ‘phone the police now’.

Martine said she believed her father had placed the dog May, who was treated like a ‘spoilt child,’ in the doorway to warn anyone entering.

She said: ‘The dog was by the bedroom door. I think my father placed the dog there purposely so we would have to step over the dog. My father was a very caring man in that way.’

The horrific discovery was made at around 2.50pm on October 5, last year before armed police swooped the scene to find a rifle with a sound moderator inside.

DCI Lianne Rees, of South Police said: ‘The diaries suggest there may have been an issue with Mr Jefferies’ mental health potentially’. Pictured: Police on scene

Martine said her father had owned guns for over ten years and had initially bought five firearms to go clay or pheasant shooting on weekends.

But she believed he sold his collection after her mother had told her he no longer went shooting and didn’t need them anymore.

The inquest heard Mrs Jefferies lived with chronic pain for a series of ailments while Mr Jefferies had been treated for depression between 2012 and 2017 – though Martine described him as ‘fit as a fiddle.’

Mr Jefferies had spoken about changing his will in the months leading up to the deaths to add his son Gethin and daughter alongside his grandchildren.

The inquest heard Mr Jeffries had retired three years earlier than he planned after he was asked to travel more to do rugby assessments and felt ‘relief’ when he was able to give up work.

Daughter Martine said she believed her parents were mortgage free until they asked to borrow £3,000 from her before their deaths.

She later discovered they were up to £35,000 in debt including an outstanding mortgage along with credit cards.

Martine said: ‘They owed about £35,000 including the mortgage which is really strange because we were brought up to never have a loan, never have a credit card. They told us if you want something you save up for it.’

The inquest heard Mr Jefferies struggled after losing his mother and sister while also previously dealing with bullying at work and his daughter battling leukaemia.

Martine said she noticed her father was ‘extremely quiet’ the week before his death, when she visited her parents to invite them to go to a garden centre.

Martine said: ‘I think it was not just the debt. I don’t know. I think something must have triggered him that week. That’s all I can say.’

The hearing was told former rugby referee Mr Jefferies was ‘very caring’.

He had written in his diary in ‘larger’ and ‘more erratic’ handwriting than usual on October 2 to say: ‘Strange head today.’

Mr Jefferies made an entry the following day saying: ‘Started to sort rifle. Can’t sell it.’

The inquest heard Mrs Jefferies had noticed a change in her husband in the days leading up to her tragic death at their family home.

She wrote: ‘Hubby not quite right this evening’ on October 3 before writing: ‘Hubby didn’t have a good night. I did paperwork’ the following day on October 4.

Son Gethin Jefferies said he had not seen his parents in person for six months but that his mother had texted to check up on him on October 2 and he had arranged to see them days later.

Though, he never saw his parents again after his mother didn’t reply to a text asking: ‘Is everything ok?’

DCI Lianne Rees, of South Police said: ‘The diaries suggest there may have been an issue with Mr Jefferies’ mental health potentially.’

The inquest heard Mrs Jefferies was found dead lying in bed with a gunshot wound to the head and no suggestion of a struggle.

A post mortem examination carried out by Dr Stephen Leadbeatter recorded a medical cause of death as ‘gunshot wound to the right temple’ for both Mr and Mrs Jefferies.

The couple had no alcohol in their system. Toxicology reports found prescription medication in the blood of Mrs Jefferies.

The inquest continues.