By Paul Thornton
POLICE forensic teams were tonight investigating the mystery deaths of a man and a woman after their bodies were found in a flat in Edinburgh’s posh stockbroker’s district.
Uniformed officers were posted on guard at an address in Dean Village while detective and experts in coveralls combed the area for clues.
Lothian and Borders Police said they would not be naming either victim until next of kin had been informed.
But they were named locally as Brian and Valerie Rockall from Dean Path, believed to be mother and son.
Deaths
It was claimed last night that police were treating one of the deaths as murder and the other as a suicide.
No-one at Lothian and Borders Police was willing to confirm the claim.
However one source said: “It doesn’t look like they will be making any appeals for information in the circumstances.”
Neighbours said Mrs Rockall was aged 80 and Brian 44.
Brian was previously a key witness in the failed Louise Tiffney murder trial in 2005.
Her son Sean Flynn, then aged 21, was cleared of killing and disposing of her body.
When charged it was alleged he had killed her at the same block of flats before getting rid of her body.
He was cleared at trial.
Mr Rockall gave evidence about a “shriek” he had heard in the flat above at the time of her disappearance during the trial at High Court in Perth.
Bodies
Today, however, it was his address at the centre of police activity.
Forensic experts in white coveralls and wearing purple nitrate gloves were called to the address after a member of the public contacted police.
It wasn’t until late yesterday afternoon, as the rain lashed down, that both bodies were taken from the stone built building.
Shielded by maroon coloured sheets they were each gingerly lifted into black coloured private ambulances and removed for post mortem examinations.
One elderly neighbour, Olga Henderson, said officers had informed her of a murder yesterday.
Ms Henderson said: “I was told someone had been murdered. It is a shock to me as I am elderly.
“You get to know people but I did not hear anything, if I had, I would have told the police.”
Ms Henderson said the deaths had forced her to recall the disappearance of Louise Tiffney from the same building in 2002.
Upset
She said: “That was many years ago and that family are away now, but it is really terrible this happening now.
“I remember that because she was from the same building. I am very upset, nobody wants or needs this kind of thing.”
A police spokeswoman confirmed they had launched a probe into the deaths.
They said: “Lothian and Borders Police can confirm it is currently carrying out inquiries following the discovery of two bodies within a house in Edinburgh’s Dean Village.
“The bodies of a man and a woman were found within a private dwelling house around 9pm on Monday after officers were alerted following a call from a member of the public.
“Police are currently treating the deaths as unexplained and no details of the victims will be released until next of kin have been informed.
“Forensic investigations are underway and house to house inquiries are being carried out.”
Further details are expected to be released once police have contacted relatives.
