Twin sisters who had surgery to control extreme OCD are found dead in car after possible suicide pact

A pair of identical twin sisters who underwent surgery in an attempt to control their chronic OCD have been found dead in an apparent suicide pact.

Amanda and Sara Eldritch were found inside a car that was parked near the Royal Gorge Bridge in Canon City, Colorado, some 124 miles from their home in Broomfield.

Fremont County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the pair were found with gunshot wounds.

A police spokesperson said: ‘We believe it to be either a suicide pact or a homicide/suicide. It will take ballistic testing to determine.’

The 33-year-old sisters suffered from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and would often take 10-hour showers before washing their hands for 20 minutes.

The pair appeared on a TV show in 2016 that detailed their brain stimulation surgery in a bid to control their cleanliness compulsions.

They admitted that their OCD meant they ‘felt at war with their own existence’ and tried to commit suicide at 16.

The Eldritch sisters spoke about how they frequently washed their hands and had to tuck in their shirts ever since they were toddlers.

As adults, they wore latex gloves, cleaned their bathroom up to three times a day and would often go through a whole bottle of shampoo in a single shower.

They appeared on TV show The Doctors in 2017 where they opened up about how they depended on each other and their fears of being separated.

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After years of medication and therapy, the twins underwent deep brain stimulation surgery – commonly used to treat Parkinson’s Disease – to try and suppress their anxiety.

Their specialist had reported that the twins’ mental health had improved in the year after the operation.

Sara Eldritch said 12 months after the treatment: ‘I feel like I can identify my anxiety. I can actually see where it’s coming from. And I feel like I can deal with it.’

For confidential emotional support, contact the Samaritans at any time by ringing 116 123 or emailing jo@samaritans.org.