18-year-old man charged with murder after woman and children discovered dead in a flat

15 September 2024 , 06:02

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Forensic and scientific services for the police search an area close to the flats (Picture: Tom Bowles)

A teenager has been charged with the murder of three people after a woman and two teenagers were found dead in a flat in Luton on Friday.

Nicholas Prosper, 18, was arrested after officers found who they believe to be Juliana Prosper, 48, Kyle Prosper, 16, and Giselle Prosper, 13, ‘very badly injured’ shortly before 6am.

They were declared dead soon after the discovery in Leabank, off Wauluds Bank Drive. Formal identification is yet to take place.

Detective Superintendent Rob Hall said: ‘First and foremost our thoughts are with the three people who sadly lost their lives yesterday and their loved ones.

‘Although formal identification has yet to take place, next of kin of those who we believe to have died have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers.

‘We would ask that their privacy is respected at this unimaginably difficult time.

‘Following the discovery of the three bodies yesterday, we immediately dispatched a number of officers to the scene.

‘Shortly afterwards they arrested an 18-year-old man, who has now been charged with three counts of murder, as well as a number of firearms offences.’

Prosper is due to appear at Luton Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Neighbours living at the block in Leabank, off Wauluds Bank Drive, described hearing ‘bangs’ that sounded like ‘gun shots’ that morning.

Detectives said yesterday that they believe the victims were all known to each other and ‘at this stage we are not looking for anybody else’.

Bedfordshire Police said officers recovered a gun from Bramingham Road.

Speaking to MailOnline, one resident, who asked not to be named, said: ‘I thought I heard some bangs, at about quarter to six. But I thought it was car backfiring.

‘I didn’t realise until later that someone had been shot.’

Detective Superintendent Rob Hall said: ‘Our thoughts are very much with the loved ones of the three people who have died in this tragic and shocking incident.

‘As part of our investigation, we have recovered a firearm from Bramingham Road and inquiries will be ongoing in relation this.

‘We are still in the early stages of this investigation and formal identification of the victims has yet to take place.

‘However, we do believe that all of those involved are known to each other and we are not currently looking for anyone else in connection to this incident.

‘We’ll have officers working around the clock both at the scene and in the community over the weekend and I would encourage anyone with concerns to speak to their local community officers.’

James Smith