Two women shot dead in their home were seen laughing and joking with a man outside their flat just half an hour before shots were heard, a senior detective said today.

Lorna and Connie Morrison were seen on the balcony outside their front door laughing and joking with the man at 10.30pm last Thursday, then about half an hour later, shots were heard, said Detective Superintendent Gary Richardson.

No-one called the police, and Lorna, 34, and Connie, 27, were found on the bedroom floor by a family friend, the next day. Their mother’s partner, Noel Patterson, 62, had also been killed in the triple murder at Clark Court, Stonebridge, near Wembley, north west London.

Mr Richardson revealed that he thought the victims, or their family, were targeted by the killers, but he did not think the victims had been involved in any criminality.

He also said Connie and Noel had been tied up, but Lorna had not been.

Detectives are trying to trace three hooded youths seen entering the flats at about 8.30 to 9.30pm on Thursday evening.

The bodies were found lying on the floor of the second bedroom when a friend went to the flat at 2.30pm on Friday. The friend, a woman, also found nine-month-old baby Christanio Morrison, Lorna’s son, who was unharmed.

She rushed to contact the sisters’ mother Evelyn Daley, who was out working overnight as a carer nearby when the killings happened. They called the police, and handed over the baby to officers. He is now in the care of the local authority.

Mr Richardson told reporters today: "At about 10.30pm on Thursday, we have a sighting of both sisters outside their flat. They appear to be laughing and joking with a black youth. There didn’t seem to be any problem there, but obviously we are keen to talk to this youth."

Asked if the youth could be a suspect, he said: "He could be a suspect, he could be a witness, we don’t know at the moment."

A post mortem examination on Mr Patterson today gave cause of death as three gunshot wounds to the face and head. Lorna’s cause of death was a single gunshot wound to the head, and Connie’s post mortem is still going on.

Mr Richardson said a number of people were telling police that they heard gunshots at about 11pm. He said the two post mortems concluded so far gave no evidence of torture.

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