Retired businessmen Dick and Roger Carter were found dead 22 hours after the body of 80-year-old Anthony Payne was discovered a mile-and-a-half away. All three victims suffered similar "significant injuries," a senior detective said. The level of violence is one of several factors linking the two murder scenes in Exeter, Devon.
Last night a 27-year-old man was being questioned about the deaths as police appealed for information.
Paramedics discovered the body of Mr Payne in a terraced house around 3pm on Monday.
A murder hunt was already under way when the Carter twins were found dead at their large detached home at 1pm on Tuesday.
Police at first treated the deaths as two separate inquiries but they were quickly linked.
Inquiry carried out at home of Roger and Dick Carter (Image: SWNS)
'You had a job to tell the brothers apart, even at their age'
A suspect was arrested on Tuesday evening.
Detective Chief Inspector Roy Linden said: "At this time, there are several and significant common factors between the two addresses.
"In terms of the level of violence used, we decided to link the investigations. Originally, they were treated as two separate murder investigations. One suspect has been identified and formally arrested."
Mr Linden would not disclose whether any weapons had been used in the attacks or whether anything had been stolen from either address.
He said: "There were significant levels of injuries and some commonality between the two incidents, which led us to link those investigations and treat them as one single investigation at the moment."
Superintendent Matt Lawler, from Devon and Cornwall Police, added: "I know that this news will cause significant and understandable concern and is an unprecedented event in our city which has shocked us all.
"While a man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in relation
