Barry Morrow, the man charged with the murders of Alice Huyton and Angela Holgate in Southport, has been found dead in his prison cell.
His body was discovered at Strangeways on Thursday afternoon, where he had apparently hanged himself, the Prison Service has confirmed.
A spokesman said: "HMP Manchester prisoner Barry Morrow was found hanging in his cell at 2.18pm on Thursday.
"Staff attempted resuscitation and paramedics attended but he was pronounced dead at 2.46pm.
"As with all deaths in custody, the prisons and probation ombudsman will conduct an investigation."
The bodies of Mrs Holgate and her mother were found by a relative at Mrs Holgate's home in Southport, near Merseyside, on December 3.
Post-mortem examinations have shown that both women died from asphyxiation.
Mrs Huyton was last seen when she left her home in Southport to visit her daughter.
Divorced Mrs Holgate, the mother of two adult daughters, had been ill and had not been seen out of the house in the previous week.
Morrow was arrested in the UK and charged with their murders on December 8 2011 after a Europe-wide search was launched following a sighting in France.
He was due to appear at Liverpool Crown Court in May.
12 comments