Sister of Epsom College headteacher who was gunned down by her husband alongside their seven-year-old daughter in ‘murder-suicide’ planned to leave her killer just days before …

• For confidential support call the Samaritans for free from a UK phone on 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org/ for more information

By Frankie Elliott[1] and Elena Salvoni[2]

Published: 15:25, 10 December 2023 | Updated: 22:40, 10 December 2023

The Epsom College headteacher who was shot dead by her husband in a suspected murder-suicide was preparing to leave him just days before she and her daughter were killed, her sister has revealed.

Emma Pattison[3] had only become the first female head of the GBP42,000-a-year private school five months before her body was found along with husband George, 39, and daughter Lettie, seven, after police were called to their home in the early hours of Febuary 5, 2023[4].

Mrs Pattison's sister, Deborah Kirk, began writing her thoughts and feelings down the day after to help her cope with 'the most inhumane of tragedies', and she has now published her letters to her sister.

In heartbreaking passages published in The Sunday Times[5], Mrs Kirk writes that she told her sister that she felt her relationship was 'abusive', and that she only heeded her warnings after hearing from 'professionals'.

'When someone entirely impartial called this what it was, the lens shifted and she realised that the damage would be in staying, not leaving... And she triumphed! She was going to be a success story, a survivor!

I saw her the weekend before this nightmare and looked forward to having my sister back.'

Emma Pattison's sister, Deborah Kirk (right), said she received a distressed call from the 45-year-old on the night of the tragic incident, asking her to come over to their GBP1.5million property in Caterham, Surrey, because she had a fight with Mr Pattison.

Emma Pattison, 45, was found dead along with her husband George, 39, and seven-year-old daughter Lettie

Surrey Police (pictured at the scene) said it is believed the tragedy is an 'isolated incident' and there is 'no third-party involvement'

Days after she saw her sister, Mrs Kirk said she received a distressed call from the 45-year-old on the night of the tragedy, in which she asked her to come over to their GBP1.5million home in Caterham, Surrey, because she had a fight with Mr Pattison.

She arrived at the house with her husband to find all three of the people inside shot dead after Mr Pattison killed his wife and daughter before turning the gun on himself.

Mrs Kirk said she turned to writing 'in the fog of severe shock' following her sister's death, and began writing poems and songs that she felt 'her sister was writing with her', having played and sang songs together as children.

She used the work as a form of therapy, she says, sharing her deepest and most frightening thoughts, whilst also 'keeping her sister alive'.

Surrey Police confirmed they believe Mr Pattison shot his wife and daughter dead before turning the weapon on himself, and that no third party was involved in the killings.

The killer had been a licenced shotgun holder for many years and officers had called him to check on the storage for his firearm the Thursday before the shooting took place.

In the days following her death, Mrs Kirk went through the 'gruelling experience' of clearing out her sister's things from her house.

Whilst doing this, she discovered letters written between Mrs Pattison and her daughter which gave her an intimate understanding of their relationship, as well as songs and books written by the headteacher.

Ten months on from the death of her sister, Mrs Kirk believes she will never run out of words or love for her sister and niece Lettie, aged 7

Ms Pattison appearing in the podcast in December, when she spoke of experiencing some 'really big changes' including taking new jobs, moving house and getting a new dog

In 2016, financial records show Mr Pattison, a chartered accountant, was the sole director of management consultancy Tanglewood.

He had recently taken out a GBP14,076 director's loan, according to accounts for the year ending October 2021.

Meanwhile, Land Registry documents revealed a mortgage was taken out on the family's four-bedroom Caterham home in January last year, eight years after they bought it for around GBP600,000.

In December, Mrs Pattison told a student podcast her move had been 'a really big change for my family', adding: 'I've got a new job, my husband got a new job, which wasn't meant to happen, but did, and my daughter has started a new school.'

Ten months on from the death of her sister, Mrs Kirk believes she will never run out of words or love for her sister and niece.

For confidential support call the Samaritans for free from a UK phone on 116 123 or visit https://www.samaritans.org/ for more information.

Emma PattisonNew York Times[6][7]

References

1. ^ Frankie Elliott (www.dailymail.co.uk)
2. ^ Elena Salvoni (www.dailymail.co.uk)
3. ^ Emma Pattison (www.dailymail.co.uk)
4. ^ her body was found along with husband George, 39, and daughter Lettie, seven, after police were called to their home in the early hours of Febuary 5, 2023 (www.dailymail.co.uk)
5. ^ The Sunday Times (www.thetimes.co.uk)
6. ^ Emma Pattison (www.dailymail.co.uk)
7. ^ New York Times (www.dailymail.co.uk)