The death of a man who was murdered while on holiday with his brother in Venezuela has been ruled as an unlawful killing.
Thomas Ossel, 28, a London firefighter who lived in Bedford but grew up in Cople, died after being shot during a robbery.
Mr Ossel’s younger brother, Jack, 21, was stabbed in the back but he survived.
It was reported that a gang of at least five armed robbers tricked their way into the hotel threatening guests at gunpoint.
But as the gang tried to rob Mr Ossel, his brother and another British man, they encountered resistance from the tourists, leading to the death of Mr Ossel and stab wounds to his brother Jack.
Mr Ossel’s death saw a large number of tributes from friends and family on social media and from his colleagues in the fire service.
The Coroner returned the verdict following the death of Mr Ossel, of Ashmead Road, during a robbery at the Posada Casa Rosa guest house on Margarita Island, Venezuela in July 2011.
The Coroner recorded the causes of death as hypovolaemic shock, acute internal bleeding and a cardio pulmonary laceration caused by a gunshot wound.