POLICE have charged a man with the murder of a 47-year-old Gosport man who died from a stab wound.
Marc Robert Lindsey, 34, of Hill Park Road, Gosport, is accused of murdering Edward John Vials, of Tintern Road, Gosport, on Christmas Eve.
Lindsey was arrested at the home in Hill Park Road where the dead man was found after police were called at 11.46pm on Monday.
Mr Vials was pronounced dead at the scene after paramedics attempted to resuscitate him. A post-mortem examination found he died from a stab wound.
The family of Mr Vials have been informed, along with the coroner.
Lindsey was charged with murder by Hampshire Constabulary’s Major Investigation Team and remains in police custody.
He is due to appear at Portsmouth Magistrates Court tomorrow.
A cordon was removed from the murder scene earlier today.
Pensioner Ed Cozens returned from Lee-on-the-Solent to his nearby home in Hill Park Road at 12.10am on Christmas Day morning.
He said: ‘The road was full of vehicles, flashing lights and in the garden next to me, as I walked up my path, there was all these paramedics pumping the chest of this man laying there.
‘So I just looked over the wall and saw it all and we were ushered into our house and that was what I saw then.
‘But it looked to me, in the front garden, a lot of, it looked like presents all strewn in the front garden, I don’t know where they came from but it looked like it.’
And Mr Cozens said that although people may be away for Christmas, there is less activity on the road than usual.
He said: ‘It is quiet, it has been quiet, usually there’s a bit more activity, it’s a bit more quiet and subdued it is really.
‘It’s usually quite lively and people talk, it’s a friendly road, I’ve never known anything else.
‘People are all subdued here after they found out what happened.
‘It’s the worst time possible.’
‘I’ve known them since they’ve been here, about seven years I should think.’
Anyone with information should call the investigation team at Fareham Police Station on 101, quoting Operation Elkhound.
Or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously.