Tragedy after Spain gallery owner killed partner and child

A FORMER Ronda art galley owner has killed his ex-partner and young son in a frenzied attack.

Andrew Cairns, 44, who used to run Ronda-Art, stabbed Rachael Slack and 23-month-old son before knifing himself to death in Derbyshire.

Cairns – who suffered from severe mental depression – left his home in Los Prados to return to the UK last year shortly after Slack departed.

Slack, 38, from Ripley, had been expecting another child with her new partner before Cairns’ assault.

In a catalogue of errors, Cairns had been detained under the Mental Health Act on May 26 following ‘concerns about his behaviour’.

However, a friend of Slack’s, who wants to remain anonymous, insisted that Cairns was “strange” and “spooky”.

And Cairns – who co-ran the gallery with his American ex-wife Monica – was arrested on May 27 for making death threats to Slack, but was again released.

Five days later, the tragedy unfolded.

Maxine Findlay, owner of Hotel el Gecko, told how Cairns appeared to be “an ordinary, nice bloke”.

“He used to come to our old bar in Ronda, I had them down as just a normal couple with a toddler,” explained Findlay.

However, a friend of Slack’s, who wants to remain anonymous, insisted that Cairns was “strange” and “spooky”.

“But Rachael was a beautiful person, in every sense of that word,” he added.

Slack, who dabbled in art herself, had once worked at Ronda’s Ascari racetrack. She also previously shared a flat with new Ronda councillor Charllote Wilmot.

Another local resident said: “All the people who knew them are in shock.”