The family of a 67-year-old man who shot dead his estranged wife before turning the gun on himself say they are in shock and had no inkling he might be violent.

On Friday night, commercial kangaroo shooter Jim McKrill returned to the Bateman house he had previously shared with his long-term partner Edith and shot her with a work gun in front of her mother, who was visiting Perth for Christmas.

The 59-year-old died in her driveway. He was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound to the head but died of his injuries.

As tributes poured in at the weekend for Ms McKrill, a grandmother who ran a popular stall at Fremantle Markets, the family of her killer also struggled to comprehend the violence.

Mr McKrill’s family today described the attack as “so out of character”.

They said he had a stroke a year ago and had needed to relearn how to walk and talk.

About the same time Mr McKrill lost one of his beloved sisters. His family described her as being like a mother to him.

Then a few months ago, Ms McKrill asked him to move out, telling him that she wanted to separate.

His family said they knew he had been in a dark place and that this was a difficult time for him as he marked the first anniversary of his sister’s death.

But they stressed there had been no signs Mr McKrill might be violent and said the last times they had seen him he had been laughing.

Ms McKrill’s family have not commented publicly, but friends and relatives have been sharing messages of support and disbelief on social media.

One of Ms McKrill’s close friends posted on Facebook: “Edith didn’t deserve this and we can’t believe she’s no longer with us.”

She was remembered as a “beautiful woman, worldly and earthy”, and colleagues and customers of her new-age stall Moon Rhythm left flowers, cards and candles at the markets at the weekend.

Ms McKrill was originally from France but had lived in Australia for about 25 years.

Friends said Mr McKrill was not the father of her children but the couple had met when her children were young and he had been like a father to them growing up.

A man walking his dog called triple-0 on Friday evening after Ms McKrill’s mother came up to him near the Scouler Way property pleading for help.

Kenneth Cheok said he first saw a man slumped against a fence with a rifle with a telescopic sight resting on his lap and a “big hole in his head”.

He then saw Ms McKrill lying on the driveway in a pool of blood and who he said did not appear to be breathing.

The home was cordoned off for much of Saturday while police gathered evidence and they also towed away a white four-wheel-drive that was believed to be driven by Mr McKrill.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, phone Lifeline on 13 11 14