Detectives are continuing to question a 27-year-old arrested on suspicion of murdering three elderly men.

The ambulance service alerted police to the body of Anthony Payne, 80, at his terrace house in Bonhay Road, Exeter, at about 3pm on February 11.

At 1pm the following day, officers went to the detached home of twins Dick and Roger Carter, 84, in Cowick Lane in the city.

Devon and Cornwall Police later said the deaths had been linked due to the age of the victims, the presentation of the properties and the injuries they sustained.

The body of Anthony Payne was discovered on Monday afternoon (Ben Birchall/PA)
The body of Anthony Payne was discovered on Monday afternoon (Ben Birchall/PA)

A 27-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murdering the men on Tuesday evening.

He remains in custody at Heavitree Road Police Station.

On Thursday, Exeter Magistrates’ Court granted a warrant allowing police an additional 36 hours to question the suspect.

Officers have until just after 10pm on Friday to detain him in custody.

Tributes have been paid to the three men, who all sustained serious head injuries.

Ronnie Teague, 73, the brother-in-law of Mr Payne, described his shock at news of the death to Devon Live.

The suspect is being held at Heavitree Road Police Station (Claire Hayhurst/PA)
The suspect is being held at Heavitree Road Police Station (Claire Hayhurst/PA)

“It is such a shocking thing to hear,” Mr Teague told the website.

“He used to be an outgoing chap and used to go to the pub a lot.

“He would play darts and cards and was friendly with everyone but he did become a bit more reclusive in latter years.

“He was not the sort of person to make enemies.

“You would never have thought he would go this way.

“He was just a normal and friendly bloke.”

Floral tributes have been left outside the home of the twin brothers (Ben Birchall/PA)
Floral tributes have been left outside the home of the twin brothers (Ben Birchall/PA)

Martyn Liddon, 76, who runs the Exeter-based Men In Sheds charity, said he was “gutted” to hear of the deaths of Dick and Roger Carter.

“To be honest I can’t get my head around why anybody would want to do that to 84-year-old men,” he said on Thursday.

“It’s beyond me and I don’t think they had a bad bone in their body, either of them.

“Roger had pretty bad arthritis and he used to hobble down to Sainsbury’s.

“If I saw him walking along I used to say good morning.

“He was a bit more of a recluse than Dick was.”