NEWS
Caroll Ann Smith charged with husband Simon ‘Hoppo’ Hopkinson’s murder after he was found dead in Adelaide home
A quiet suburban neighbourhood has been rocked by the death of the man who was allegedly murdered by his wife.
Emergency services were called to a Medina Street home Taperoo in Adelaide’s north-westabout 8.40am on Sunday following reports a man had been injured.
Upon arrival, police found the body of a 60-year-old man, who has since been identified as Simon ‘Hoppo’ Hopkinson.
His wife, Caroll Ann Smith, 58, was arrested at the home and later charged with murder.
Major crime and local officers have launched an investigation into Mr Hopkinson’s death.
It’s understood that Smith was allegedly the one called emergency services.
‘There’s not thought to be anyone else involved in this matter,’ Western Districts Detective Inspector Christie Matthews said
When asked if the alleged incident was domestic-violence related, Inspector Matthews said that line of inquiry was being investigated.
Police are yet to confirm the cause of Mr Hopkinson’s death but are yet to rule out the use of weapons.
Shocked neighbours were horrified to hear about the incident on what is usually a quiet suburban street.
One woman said the couple were both psychiatric nurses and though she didn’t know the pair very well, they ‘seem lovely’.
Her son had helped Mr Hopkinson move firewood for extra pocket money.
Some neighbours saw Smith in handcuffs escorted from the home by police.
‘I was sitting out the front and she came out in her nightie. She looked pretty nonchalant, not very bothered. She had her head down,’ the woman told the Adelaide Advertiser.
Kyla Vermeulen, a resident of the street for 14 years was ‘pretty shocked’ to hear of the death, ‘it’s quite sad’.
She added it was ‘mostly older people and families’ who lived in the area.
Ms Vermeulen recalled hearing a ‘bang that was like a rattle on a fence’ the night before.
Another local resident Matt Carr told the ABC that he heard sirens when he woke up and ‘there was a bit of activity going on out the front’.
‘You don’t expect to wake up to that in your front yard on a Sunday morning,’ he said.
Smith was refused bail to appear in Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday.
Police urge anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.