A 27-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murdering three elderly men is still being questioned by detectives.

Police were alerted to the body of Anthony Payne, 80, by the ambulance service at his terrace house in Bonhay Road, Exeter, at about 3pm on Monday.

The following day at 1pm, officers found the bodies of twins Dick and Roger Carter, 84, at their home in Cowick Lane.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the deaths had been linked because of the age of the victims, the presentation of the properties and the injuries sustained by the victims.

The 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murdering the men on Tuesday evening and remains in custody at Heavitree Road police station.

Exeter Magistrates’ Court granted a warrant on Thursday that allows police an extra 36 hours to question the suspect.

Police have until just after 10pm on Friday to keep him in custody.

Ronnie Teague, 73, brother-in-law of Mr Payne, said he had been shocked by news of the death.

He said: “It is such a shocking thing to hear. He used to be an outgoing chap and used to go to the pub a lot.

“He would play darts and cards and was friendly with everyone but he did become a bit more reclusive in latter years.

“He was not the sort of person to make enemies. You would never have thought he would go this way. He was just a normal and friendly bloke.”

Keith Baker, 69, who was best friends with Mr Payne, told Sky News: “He was a very well-liked man, well dressed, had his own opinions, a nice ordinary old man – nothing special – living out the twilight of his life – had a few upsets over the accommodation he was in, but we were sorting that out.

“They can’t believe it (in Exeter) – a lot of people have come up to me and said ‘Keith, I can’t believe it’.

“I said ‘you’d better believe it because I’ve seen it'”.

Speaking about whoever is responsible for the deaths, he said: “You hope never to meet anyone of that persuasion but I would say to them – you’ve destroyed three innocent lives and I hope you get your just desserts. You cannot forgive them.”

Martyn Liddon, who runs the Exeter-based Men In Sheds charity, said he was “gutted” to hear of the deaths of Dick and Roger Carter.

He said: “To be honest I can’t get my head around why anybody would want to do that to 84-year-old men.

“It’s beyond me and I don’t think they had a bad bone in their body, either of them.

“Roger had pretty bad arthritis and he used to hobble down to Sainsbury’s. If I saw him walking along I used to say good morning. He was a bit more of a recluse than Dick was.”

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