Shot dead at home in front of his husband: millionaire’s murder sparks manhunt
A millionaire marketing director has been shot dead in front of his husband at their home.
Guy Hedger, 61, was killed by intruders who entered the house in Dorset, in southern England, at 3:03am yesterday.
He was murdered as his husband, Simon Pierre Hedger-Cooper, 48, watched on, it is understood.
The couple had been in a civil partnership since 2005.
Police said the onlooker was “deeply affected by the incident” and is being supported by a family liaison officer.
The gunman and at least one accomplice are still on the run, according to Dorset Police.
Superintendent Kevin Connolly said that officers were treating the attack as an “aggravated burglary which resulted in the shooting of an innocent man”.
There were “at least two intruders,” he said. “The offenders, we believe, went in to steal and then subsequently shot an innocent man.”
He pledged that he and his officers “will do our very best to catch the offenders and bring them to justice. We are conducting reassurance patrols to ensure people feel safe.”
Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Derbyshire, of Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “We are still trying to establish a motive for the intruders and why this particular address in Castlewood was targeted.
“We believe there was an element of pre-planning involved.
“Therefore we would urgently like to hear from anyone, who may have seen people or vehicles acting suspiciously in the area directly before or during the days leading up to the incident.
“This may have involved people in the area in general or paying particular attention to the specific house. Any small detail may help us with our investigation.”
DCI Derbyshire added that police “do not believe the offenders were known to the victim, however we continue to investigate all lines of enquiry.”
Dorset Police also confirmed that following the “deeply traumatic” incident, there would be “a heavy police presence in the vicinity”.
Hedger was a marketing director for a secondary education facility in Bournemouth, the Avonbourne International Business and Enterprise Academy Trust, according to its website and Companies House.
He was also an award-winning marketing director at LV= insurance.
A spokesman for the company told the Mail Online: “We were all shocked to hear that our friend and colleague Guy Hedger, LV=’s marketing and brand director, died over the weekend in such tragic circumstances.
“An extremely talented marketer, Guy was instrumental in building the LV brand and he will be sorely missed by many.
“Our heartfelt condolences and sympathy are with his family and loved ones at this incredibly sad time.”
The couple’s neighbour, Jean Yeates, 83, said: ‘It’s frightening to think that something like this could happen.
“I’ve never heard of anything happening here, and I’ve lived here a fair while. I’m shocked.”
