Heated argument before double killing

The gardener was tied to Beverley Payne's Mercedes

The mother-of-two killed at her home and her gardener - who it appears later committed suicide - had a heated argument the night before they died.

Detectives from South Wales Police said they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the murder of Beverley Payne, 21, at her Neath home.

Model Beverley Payne had been stabbed in the chest

Her body was found with a stab wound to the heart hours after her gardener Nicholas Davies, 33, was found dead in her family's car in Swansea's Prince of Wales dock on Wednesday - the pair were having a relationship.

Meanwhile, a special crime unit from Scotland Yard is to question Ms Payne's husband, Chris Davies, in an investigation in to the central London telecommunications firm he works for as a manager.

Mr Davies, who flew back from a business trip in South America on Thursday, has been granted custody of the pair's children.

New life

Detective Chief Superintendent Wynne Phillips said on Friday: "It is clear now that Beverley was planning to leave South Wales this week and go to live with her partner Chris Davies in South America - and there is no doubt that this is significant to our inquiries."

Officers had been awaiting the results of forensic tests before announcing their conclusion.

The day Ms Payne was murdered, neighbours heard screaming at her home in Neath.

A short time later, a car was heard speeding off.

New life

It has been confirmed that Ms Payne had been involved in a close relationship with 33-year-old Nicholas Davies, whose body was pulled from Swansea Docks on Wednesday.

Police have also revealed that the aerobics instructor - who died from a single stab wound to the heart - had been preparing to start a new life in South America with her partner this week.

Chris Davies returned home "completely devastated" from a business trip to Venezuela on Thursday to comfort his two children after Ms Payne's body was found stabbed at their home in Neath.

He said: "I have been completely devastated by the loss of Beverley and I find it difficult to put into words how I am feeling.

'Stable and loving relationship'

"Beverley and I have been together for five years. We were devoted to each other and our two beautiful children.

"Beverley was a bubbly, vivacious person and we were very much in love.

"We had a stable and loving relationship and we about to embark on a new life together in the Dutch Antilles."

Hours before the discovery, a man who worked for the couple drove their Mercedes SLK Coupé into Swansea's Prince of Wales docks and died.

Beverley was a bubbly, vivacious person and we were very much in love

Bereaved partner Chris Davies

Police have now revealed that the odd job man from Gorseinon near Swansea, had shared a close relationship with Ms Payne.

Report have suggested that his hands were taped to the steering wheel of the sports car, but police have refused to comment.

A post-mortem examination revealed he died from drowning.

South Wales Police found a blood-stained knife in the family's home and forensic tests were expected back on Friday.

New house

Ms Payne's two children, a three-year-old boy and a baby girl of 11 months, had spent hours alone with their mother's body before a caller to the house in Priory Court raised the alarm Wednesday lunchtime.

The family moved in to the rented home six weeks ago, having moved from a house in Pontarddulais a few weeks after Chris Davies left the country.

A spokesman for the family of gardener Nicholas Davies said: "Nicholas was a very genuine person who we all loved very much. We are devastated by his death."

Detective Chief Supt Phillips added: "This has been a terrible tragedy and our sympathies are with all who have been touched by it."

Police have appealed for witnesses to any recent sightings of Ms Payne and Nicholas Davies to telephone the incident room on 01792 456999.