The man suspected of murdering his mother and sister was described by neighbours as kind and quiet, always with his head hung low.

Marija Lourdes Bonnici and her daughter Angele Bonnici, aged 30, were reported missing to the police on Tuesday were found dead in a field in Ghaxaq.

Sources said that the two were hit with a hard object, and then shot. TVM reports that the mother and daughter were not killed in the field where they were eventually discovered, but were taken there afterwards.

The two bodies were found buried in a field located in Trejqet Santu Kristu, in an agricultural zone between Ghaxaq, Gudja and Santa Lucija. 

The family, including the suspect, Joseph Bonnici, lived in a house in Triq Santa Marija in Ghaxaq. 

Speaking to The Malta Independent, neighbours described the Bonnicis as a good family who never had any serious arguments between them and were never heard fighting.

The husband/father, Paul Bonnici was sentenced to 31 years in prison in May 2000 for committing a double murder after an argument with his neighbours, Joseph and Carmela Dalli. He had argued with the victims and shot them dead. After the shooting, Bonnici had gone to the police and told them what he had done.

Neighbours told this newsroom that Paul Bonnici is due to be released from prison soon.

One neighbour said that Joseph Bonnici who works as a flower deliveryman had a close relationship with his sister. In fact, Angele Bonnici always asked for her brother's help with fixing her car.

No shots were heard coming from the vicinity of the residence. On the occasion when Paul Bonnici murdered the Dallis, shots were heard in the area. 

A neighbour said she was shocked when she saw the photos of the missing women on Facebook adding, "at first we thought they had been involved in a car accident but then we noticed that Angele's car was parked outside. We are in shock and cannot believe what happened."

A good friend of the daughter described her as very hardworking and honest. For a long time she worked as a bartender and waitress but recently was studying accounting and working for a company in a job related to accounts.

The police said that after the two were reported missing, it had spoken to several people in the course of their investigations. The CID also questioned the neighbours of the family in Ghaxaq, some of whom are relatives. 

This is not the first double mother and daughter murder in Malta. On November 3, 1999, a woman and her daughter were killed by the husband in Qrendi. The husband died later in hospital after he was critically injured while wrestling with one of the victims to take hold of a shotgun.

No other cases of double mother and daughter murders were reported in Malta.

Photos by Neil Camilleri