Lukhbir Turner, 40, director of Crucial Trades and a mother-of-two, was found dead at her home in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. The police found her body after her neighbours raised an alarm, stating that they had not seen her for three days. Lukhbir, originally from Wolverhampton, was living without her children at the time and her marriage had broken down. Reportedly, her estranged husband had received a text from her that said that “there was nothing left for her”.
Her former partner, Christopher Turner, was initially a suspect after red marks were found on Lukhbir's neck, but as he proved his presence in Devon at the time of her death, he was cleared of the charge. However, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue had concluded the fire was deliberate, and an unused box of matches placed on the side of the bath raised police's suspicions.
The mystery surrounding her death was solved when a cigarette lighter was found in the bath.
The CCTV footage also showed Lukhbir Turner carrying a can of a flammable substance into the house. As the bathroom door was closed, the fire did not spread to the rest of the house. Lukhbir's brother, Amarjit Dhami, 45, told Lincolnshire Live, “She was ill over these last few years but prior to that she always had too much confidence. ‘Growing up, I had about five friends and she had hundreds – she was very popular and a lot of her friends went to the funeral”. Dozens of her friends attended her funeral.
Although she was in regular contact with mental health services and her GP surgery, the institutions were not able to prevent her extreme step. The court heard that she had taken three overdoses of prescription drugs in the three months prior to her death on September 5 last year.
