Headteacher and Daughter Murdered in Shocking Surrey Rampage
Epsom College headteacher Emma Pattison, 45, and her seven-year-old daughter Lettie were brutally gunned down by her husband in a deadly shotgun rampage. The killer then turned the weapon on himself, an inquest has confirmed.
Tragic Scene at Exclusive Surrey Boarding School
The bodies of Emma and Lettie were discovered last February inside their home on the grounds of the elite £42,000-a-year Epsom College in Surrey. Husband George Pattison, 39, a chartered accountant, was also found dead from a self-inflicted shotgun wound.
Senior Coroner Richard Travers ruled that both Emma and Lettie were unlawfully killed by George Pattison before he took his own life. Emma suffered fatal shotgun wounds to the chest and abdomen, while Lettie was shot in the head.
Final Moments Revealed in Heartbreaking Testimony
Emma’s sister, Deborah Kirk, gave harrowing evidence. Just before 11pm on February 4, Emma called to say George had hit her and their dog. Though worried, Emma’s voice lacked terror, hinting at her desperate attempt to stay calm.
Deborah and her husband rushed to Emma’s house, finding all lights on and cars outside. Mark Miller, Deborah’s husband, stopped her from entering and quickly called paramedics — but it was too late.
Family Pays Tribute to ‘Bright Light’ and ‘Inseparable’ Duo
“Emma was lightness itself, smart and kind in a way that filled a room,” Deborah told the court. “Lettie was razor sharp, curious and disarmingly cute.”
“To see the esteem in which Emma is held by all who knew her is an enormous comfort. Lettie was Emma’s pride and joy – a vibrant little girl with a heart-melting smile and intellect beyond her years. They were inseparable and always will be.”
The inquest also revealed Emma had spent her final hours relaxing with friends and watching rugby, even ordering a Chinese takeaway. The delivery driver described her as “smiley” and “okay.”
A post-mortem showed George Pattison had a “high to extreme” blood alcohol level at the time of the killings, adding a grim note to the tragedy.
