A WOMAN who was murdered by her husband had her clothing torn and was left terrified after the couple fought two weeks before her death.

Jodie Lee Weller, who separated from husband Graham after the incident, was found in a distressed state on a car park in Chorley.

A neighbour offered to call the police but Mrs Weller, whose white dress was torn, told him to take her home.

The neighbour claimed that Mr Weller came to the door, dragged her inside and told him to ignore her, saying she was "always doing this."

The resident, who asked not to be named, said: "She looked frightened, her clothes were torn. She didn't want me to call the police she just wanted to go home."

The couple, who were said to have been violent towards one another, had been rowing about plans to have children, neighbours said.

Mr Weller, who had three children from an earlier marriage, had told neighbours he didn't want any more.

Police said today that they had evidence to suggest Mrs Weller had been killed in the couple's Coltsfoot Drive home. They said the murder had taken place upstairs but they were not in a position to confirm an exact location.

Yesterday police found a small vegetable knife, which they believe was the murder weapon, inside the couple's red Audi parked in the driveway of their home.

Mrs Weller's body was found in the boot of the car, where she is believed to have lain for several days on Saturday afternoon. Her 39-year-old husband was found dead in the garage.

He had gassed himself to death with car exhaunst fumes and left a note, police said.

Det Supt Mick Gradwell, who is leading the investigation, confirmed there had been a row two weeks earlier. He said: "Neighbours had reported that they had a tempestuous relationship "It's another case of domestic violence at it's worst."

A post-mortem examination has shown that Mrs Weller, 28, suffered multiple stab wounds to her back and had a head injury.

Toxicology results are needed to confirm the exact cause of Mr Weller's death but it is expected they will show he died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Floral tributes have been laid by friends, marking the spot where the couple died.

One message read: To Jodie. I will miss our little chats in the sun. I'll never forget you. From your little friend. Bev xxx' Another said: UR in safe hands now M8. May the angels guard you until we meet again one day. Donna xxx' Mr Wellers' uncle and aunt, Wilfred and Joan Dyke, were at the house yesterday placing a floral tribute.

A neighbour living across the road, whose CCTV looks onto the front of their house, said he was mystified about how the body came to be in the boot of the car.

Jim Smallshaw, a friend of Graham's for the past 20 years, said he has been through footage taken from his cameras with a "fine tooth comb" but said that they didn't show anything.

Mr Weller was said to have told friends a week ago that his wife had left him and gone to stay with relatives in Newcastle.

Neighbours said she had not been seen for a week.

Mr Smallshaw, 63, the former landlord of Trader Jacks pub, said the couple met while on a night out in the Chorley venue.

He said they married two years ago at Chorley Registar Office and had rows "like any other normal married couple".

"He said Jodie had left him and said she wanted children but he didn't as he already had three children from a previous marriage."

Mr Weller worked for a haulage firm in Leyland, while Mrs Weller was a team leader working at Sunlight laundry in Chorley North Industrial Park.