The cause of death of an 88-year-old ‘murder’ victim is awaiting further forensic tests, a coroner’s court heard.

Retiree Barrie Davenport, a widower who lived in assisted living facility Foxhall Court in School Lane, Banbury, died at his flat on Monday, October 17.

Opening his inquest at Oxford Coroner’s Court this afternoon, the county’s senior coroner Darren Salter said the cause of Mr Davenport’s death following an initial post-mortem ‘remained under investigation’.

He added: “I haven’t got a cause of death on this case because it is still pending histology [microscopic study of human tissue] and toxicology and further investigation.”

Addressing the question of fixing a date for a full inquest, Mr Salter said: “There isn’t one at the moment because it is pending the outcome of the police investigation.”

Last week, detectives arrested a 53-year-old woman from Northamptonshire on suspicion of Mr Davenport’s murder. She was later released on police bail.

DI Alice Broad of the force’s major crimes team said last Wednesday: “We are not looking for anyone else in connection with this investigation and our enquiries thus far indicate there is no threat to the wider community.”

On Wednesday, the coroner’s court heard that Mr Davenport’s body had been formally identified to Thames Valley Police by a duty manager at the assisted living facility on October 18, the day after his alleged murder.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

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