‘Jealous’ husband, 85, shot his wife dead before killing himself in murder-suicide in Lincolnshire after believing she was having an affair, inquest hears
The investigation heard that a ‘jealous’ husband shot his wife, whom he believed was having an affair, and turned the gun on himself.
Robert Jobson, 84, shot 69-year-old Rosemary twice, then killed himself at their home where they ran a shooting school.
The pair, who represented England in shooting competitions, were found dead at White Lodge in College Road, Thornton Curtis, in North Lincolnshire, on July 14, 2023.
The inquest into the couple heard that six days before the tragedy, Mr Jobson was arrested after his wife reported to police that he had attacked her.
Mrs. Jobson was shot twice by her husband as she got out of her car in front of their home.
Her husband then shot himself in the shed next to the house.
Inquests heard the Jobsons met while hunting on horseback and moved to White Lodge, where they founded the White Lodge Shooting School.
But their marriage ran into trouble. Rosemary Jobson contacted a police officer on June 20, 2023, announcing that she was divorcing her husband and expressing concerns about guns in the home.
Robert Jobson, 84, shot his wife Rosemary, 69, twice, then killed himself because he believed she was having an affair.
Three days later, all guns were removed from the property.
Det Insp Samantha Chester, of Humberside Police, said Mrs Jobson reported on July 7, 2023 that her husband had assaulted her the previous week.
Mr Jobson was arrested on July 8, 2023, but was released on conditional bail the next day and told not to contact his wife or go to their home.
He had previously suffered mental health issues, including overdosing in 2021 following an argument with his wife, and had undergone psychiatric evaluations following his arrest.
Investigators at Cleethorpes Town Hall were told Mr Jobson thought his wife was having an affair with their friend Peter Hrynyk, with whom he was on holiday.
But in a statement read to the court, Hrynyk described their relationship as ‘platonic’ and said Rosemary Jobson felt ‘very scared and vulnerable’.
Rosemary Jobson was staying at Hrynyk after the attack in July, but when she returned home to buy clothes, she was found dead outside her house by a neighbour.
The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was bullet wounds in the head and neck.
The investigation into the couple heard that Mr Jobson was arrested six days before the tragedy after his wife reported to police that he had attacked her.
According to a ballistics report, he was shot first from a distance of several meters and then possibly from less than a meter away.
The autopsy report also revealed that her husband died from a ‘self-inflicted fatal gunshot wound’ to the neck.
The ballistics report stated that a shotgun was found near Robert Jobson’s body.
A friend of the couple lent him his shotgun on July 14 after Robert Jobson asked to borrow it, saying he had a problem with crows.
Coroner Jayne Wilkes said the case was “particularly shocking” and the pair were “much loved”.
He said: ‘On the balance of probabilities, Rose died as a result of her husband’s willful and premeditated action… this was an unlawful killing.’
He added that ‘there was advance planning on the balance of probabilities’.
Robert Jobson died ‘due to a deliberate act to end his life’ and was ruled a suicide.
His daughter, Joanne Sheppard, described her father as hard-working and “a very proud man.”
The coroner also referred to the evidence of Paula O’Donnell, Rosemary Jobson’s daughter from her first marriage.
“It was clear that Ms O’Donnell had forced her mother to leave Robert,” Ms Wilkes said. ‘But his mother said: “It’s okay, he loves me, he won’t hurt me.”‘
O’Donnell said in a statement: ‘It has left a huge hole in my heart forever. I miss him so much.
‘He was the most thoughtful person I knew, always helping others no matter what.’
Addressing family members in court, Ms Wilkes said: ‘What happened that day changed all of your lives forever.
‘My deepest condolences to each of you on the loss of Rose and Robert.’
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