A MOTHER of two is thought to have been strangled by a family friend who then killed himself.

Police believe Maryna Kavaliauske was murdered by family friend Viasia Chernoff.

Maryna was found dead on the landing of her house in South Farm Road, Worthing in the early hours of Friday morning. Post mortem results now show that she died as a result of ligature compression to the neck.

Viasia Chernoff, 43, known as Alex, who was also found dead in the ground floor hallway of the property died from hanging the post mortem found.

Detective Inspector Gordon Denslow said: "Our investigation continues in this tragic case to establish what happened. We believe Viasia, who was a close family friend of Maryna and her husband Giedrius, murdered her before killing himself.

"We would remind those speculating about what happened we have a distraught family, including two young children, are trying to come to terms with their tragic loss. Rumour and gossip is not helpful or sensitive.

"However we are asking anyone with information which will help us with our investigation to make contact with us.”

Sussex Police launched a murder investigation after Maryna was found by her distraught brother and cousin on Friday morning.

Her husband of 15 years, Giedrius Kavaliauske, 37, said she was a "wonderful mother" to their two children, who are nine and 12, and that they were a "very happy family".

Neighbours said Giedrius took their two children to see family abroad a few days before Maryna's death.

The couple moved in to the house in 2007 and lived there with their two children who attended a local primary school.

Mr Kavaliauske was convicted for conspiring to import and supply cocaine into Britain across the Channel in high speed inflatable boats and was jailed for eight years in 2009.

Chris Denyer, 52, said: “There was a couple living there and the husband is currently abroad in Lithuania with their two kids.

“The wife and someone else is dead inside the property, but how they died I have no idea.

“They’ve lived there for a good few years, it is a rented property.”

Another neighbour who refused to be named said: “They were a lovely addition to the neighbourhood.

“It was very nice to talk to them when I passed them in the street.

“I mostly talked to

the mum and she was really nice.

“The kids go to the school I used to go to as well. They are fairly young.”

Anyone with information can report online quoting Operation Assert.