A jealous godfather killed the mother of his godchild then took his own life after becoming infatuated with her, an inquest heard.

Family friend Alex Chernoff, 43, was “obsessed” with 35-year-old mother-of-two Maryna Kavaliauske and was increasingly abusive towards her, West Sussex Coroner’s Court was told on Wednesday.

Police launched an investigation into the suspected murder-suicide after the pair were found dead at her home in Broadwater, Worthing, on April 13 last year.

Her husband Giedrius Kavaliauskas had been on holiday visiting family with their children, aged nine and 12, at the time, the inquest in Crawley heard.

Mrs Kavaliauske, a trainee mortgage adviser, had been strangled and both bodies were found hanged, the hearing was told.

There were signs of a struggle, with injuries on Mrs Kavaliauske’s face, arms and neck.

In a statement read to the court on his behalf, Mr Kavaliauskas said: “He was jealous of us.

“All she had done was try to help him.”

Mr Kavaliauskas said he met his future wife after moving to England from Lithuania in 2001 while he was working as a flower picker at a West Sussex farm.

Mrs Kavaliauske, whose maiden name was Zhytnyk, had also moved from her native Ukraine at a similar time.

They married in 2003 and met Mr Chernoff in 2004, later making him their daughter’s godfather.

He moved in to their home in South Farm Road after his marriage to phlebotomist Svetlana Prtichard broke down and while Mr Kavaliauskas was in prison.

In May 2009 Mr Kavaliauskas was one of five men jailed for his part in a conspiracy to smuggle pure cocaine into Britain across the English Channel using high-speed inflatable boats.

He was handed an eight-year prison sentence after being found guilty at trial.

He sat quietly listening to the evidence as his statement was read to the court.

In it he said: “We were very happy together. We had a perfect relationship. She was very kind and thoughtful.

“Maryna stood by me and visited me each week in prison.”

He was unhappy Mr Chernoff, also known by several other names including Viasa, had moved in, but his wife needed help with the children.

He added: “She only saw him as a friend. She was only interested in family.”

He told how Mr Chernoff’s behaviour deteriorated, he had mental health problems and had become an alcoholic.

Mr Chernoff continued to live with them after Mr Kavaliauskas left prison and worked as a lorry driver.

But he then moved out when they bought a flat nearby in the seaside town which he rented.

Mr Kavaliauskas said he seemed to be “playing the system” as he was not working and claiming benefits.

He started causing problems, becoming angry and aggressive, sending Mrs Kavaliauske abusive text messages and forcing her to change jobs several times to avoid him turning up at her work and shouting abuse, the court heard.

Mr Chernoff also cut the phone lines in the house and cut up her clothes.

The inquest heard she may have considered reporting him to the police, after a Sussex Police business card was found in her possession.

Mr Kavaliauskas said: “She was very forgiving and loving person who tried to give someone a chance.”

She insisted he travel to Lithuania with the children as planned without her when she could not take time off work in her new job.

They flew out on April 8 and he last spoke to her the night before she was found dead while she was happily preparing to collect her brother Vitalie Jitnic from the airport, the court heard.

Mr Jitnic and family friend Ainious Greggaliulas discovered the bodies early the next morning after going in search of her when she failed to arrive at Gatwick.

Detective Constable Dawn Robertson told the court officers could not find “any hard evidence” the pair were having an affair.

She said the police considered several theories about the deaths, including whether Mr Kavaliauskas had been involved after discovering the pair were together.

But they were satisfied the evidence showed Mr Chernoff killed her and then himself, adding: “We found that he was obsessed with Maryna.

“She spoke incredibly highly of her husband but never gave any indication that she was in a relationship with Alex.

“He (Alex) was in fact infatuated with Maryna.

“She wanted to look after him. She saw it as her role to look after him.

“She did have a close relationship with him, there’s no denying it.”

Mr Chernoff was in a “dark place”, Ms Robertson said.

He had been drinking heavily and “trying to pull her (Mrs Kavaliauske) down from her happy place”.

A post-mortem found Mrs Kavaliauske died due to ligature compression and suspension.

Ruling her death an unlawful killing, assistant coroner Joanne Andrews said: “She sounded like a lovely person.”

A toxicology report showed Mr Chernoff had alcohol and cocaine in his system when he died. He was being treated for depression, an obsessive-compulsive disorder, alcoholism and erectile dysfunction.

The coroner ruled his death a suicide.