The deaths
of a husband and wife whose bodies were found in their New Jersey home
Sunday morning have been ruled a murder-suicide police announced
Tuesday, as the couple's daughter said she had 'inner peace' knowing her
parents were now 'stress-free.'
The
Morris County Prosecutor's Office and Jefferson Police said in a joint
statement that a preliminary investigation shows both 45-year-old Julian
Knott and 47-year-old Alita Knott - who moved to the U.S. from Britain -
died of gunshot wounds.
No other information about the deaths, including any motive, has been released.
But the
couple's daughter, Kayleigh Knott, posted a photo of her parents on her
Instagram account shortly after they were discovered.
Murder suicide: A preliminary investigation
shows both 45-year-old Julian Knott and 47-year-old Alita Knott - who
moved to the U.S. from Britain - died of gunshot wounds. The couple are
pictured in happier times
The
Arizona State University student, who was presumably away at school
when the shocking murder suicide took place, wrote: 'On July 5th, 2014,
heaven gained two very special angels... My mother and my father.
Although I am heartbroken that they will never see me graduate college, will never be there to see me get married or to be grandparents for my children, I can still have my inner peace knowing that they are now stress free in a much better place.'
She said she trusted that it was all part of a bigger plan.
Referring to her two teenage brothers,
she wrote: 'Now it's just me, my brothers, and betsy, and we will be just
fine with our angels watching over us... Life is so incredibly
beautiful and I can't wait to see what the world has in store for me.
Rest in Peace mummy and daddy, stay close.'
Inner peace: The couple's daughter, Kayleigh
Knott, pictured left and right, posted a photo of her parents on her
Instagram account shortly after they were discovered
According
to Julian Knott's LinkedIn profile, he worked for JPMorgan Chase for
several years, most recently as the executive director of its Global
Network Operations Center in Whippany.
The family moved from Shoreham in England to Dublin, Ohio, for Mr Knott's job and the moved to New Jersey only recently.
Morris
County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said Sunday that Jefferson Township
Police were called to the home at 12 Log Road in Lake Hopatcong at
around 1 a.m. that day on a report of two unconscious adults.
The husband and wife were discovered by officers deceased inside the property.
There was no evidence of outside intrusion into the home, Knapp said, and 'no cause for concern to the community.'
Dead: Husband and wife, Julian Knott, 45, and Alita Knott, 47, pictured, were found dead in their New Jersey home
The Star Ledger identified Alita Knott as a sales associate at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in the Chester/Hackettstown Office.
Spokeswoman Aglaia Pikounis told the newspaper: 'We are terribly saddened by the
news.' She refused to comment further citing the ongoing investigation into the deaths.
Mrs
Knott's agent profile on the real estate website says she was born in
the Philippines and worked as a teacher there for a few years.
She then moved to Bahrain and was able to travel extensively with her job.
'After
meeting my husband while working in London, I married, had three
children and started my own pre-school nursery business, which I still
own,' she writes.
Mystery: It's not clear how the couple,
pictured, died or whether it is being investigated as a murder suicide.
No cause of death for the couple has been released
Scene: Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp
said Jefferson Township Police were called to the home, pictured, at 12
Log Road in Lake Hopatcong at around 1 a.m. Sunday morning on a report
of two unconscious adults
Her profile said her husband's work took them to Dublin, Ohio, and then more recently to New Jersey.
The
nursery, Quay Side Tots, acknowledged the deaths with a note on its
website and said the facility would be closed until further notice.
The
note reads: 'Unfortunately we have received the news today (7th July)
that the owner of Quayside Tots Playgroup, Alita, and her husband have
passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends.
For legal reasons the playgroup will now not reopen until further
notice.'
Neighbor Agnes Mysliwiec, 44, told the
Star Ledger late on Sunday that she didn't know the couple personally, but they had
moved to the street recently.
The family home was purchased in May for $600,000.
The two story, 4,250sqft home has 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms.
Authorities did not reveal who first discovered the bodies and called police.
The couple have three children, though it's not known if any were home at the time of the deaths.
No further information is being released to the public at this time, Knapp said.
The Morris County Sheriff's Office CIS and Major Crime's Unit assisted at the scene.
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