Sherlene and Jerry Church were kicked and stomped to death in their Georgia home, a member of the victims' family has claimed.

Police have reported the pair died late Friday night or early Saturday from blunt-force trauma, with their battered bodies discovered on Sunday.

Brenda Hall, Mr. Church's niece, told the Ledger Enquirer newspaper that sheriff's officials said no weapon was used, although Police have not confirmed this suggestion. In its report the newspaper said the couple had been kicked and stomped.

Mrs. Church, a 57-year-old Bermudian known on the Island as Star Swan, married Mr. Church last December. Family members yesterday set off to her home to collect her ashes.

Giving her reaction to the deaths to the Enquirer, Ms Hall said: "My cousins and I were the first to find out what happened.

"We went out to Waverly Hall and talked to the sheriff's department that was on the scene. When we later found out four people had been arrested for the murders, we were in complete utter shock. We were very pleased that people had been arrested for this."

Chief Deputy Neil Adams of the Harris County Sheriff's Office is reported as saying: "We don't know what weapon was used, but we will know more about the timeline of events when the preliminary autopsy report comes back."

Kevin McKay, 21, Dereck Cox, 19, and two juveniles are each charged with one count of murder, aggravated assault, robbery and burglary. The juveniles are 13 and 16.