THE distraught family of a businessman gunned down in cold blood in his own home have spoken of their grief.

Adam Hustler, 41, and his wife Amanda, 40, both Jehovah's Witnesses, were shot at close range with a high-velocity .22 hunting rifle.

Mrs Hustler was shot in the back as she desperately tried to flee the bullets.

She was still in hospital last night and said to be "very distressed" over the death of her husband.

Family friend and fellow Jehovah's Witness Tim Mears said: "Mrs Hustler is very distressed – she knows what has happened in the house."

He added that she was in a lot of pain, but her daughters Danielle and Abigail had been at her bedside in Derriford Hospital, Plymouth.

"Things are looking quite good, and she is grateful for the excellent care from doctors and nurses. All her family and friends are praying for an early recovery," said Mr Mears.

He said he could not comment on her own personal treatment, but said there had been "no issue over the use of blood" because of her religious beliefs. Doctors had previously described her condition as "stable".

The horror unfolded at the couple's luxury seven-bedroom home at Porth Kea, a hamlet close to the River Fal near Truro on Saturday at 10pm.

A 23-year-old man was arrested and was in police custody last night .

Locals named him as Jonathan Cock, the ex-boyfriend of the couple's daughter, Danielle, 20, who was in the house at the time of the double shooting and raised the alarm.

The couple's other daughter, Abigail, 16, was also at the £500,000 house at the time – but neither girl was harmed.

In an emotional tribute to her son, Maureen Hustler described how her family, including her husband Chris and sons James and Timothy, felt.

Speaking outside her detached home at Perranarworthal, near Truro, Mrs Hustler fought back tears as she spoke of her family's loss.

She said: "You cannot imagine the devastation a mother and father feel to lose their first-born child like this. Adam was a wonderful son.

"We are a very close family and it is impossible to put into words how we have been left feeling. I can't express the pain we are all going through.

"His father is completely heartbroken as we all are. It's hard to believe this has happened to us."

Family members and friends arrived at the house to comfort and support the family.

Adam Hustler was managing director of Truro-based family business Clear-flow, a drain-clearing operation.

Last night, the Hustlers' home in Porth Kea remained a crime scene.

Neighbour Les Boulter, 61, an electrical engineer, had dealt with Mr Hustler on a business level.

He said: "He was good to work with and did what he said on the tin.

"The family generally keep to themselves and I didn't know them on a social level.

"His business was really going somewhere and they had only recently expanded their premises and gone from a fleet of six tankers to about 20. The business was definitely on the up."

One company employee said: "Adam was the best boss I've ever had – he was the best, absolutely fantastic.

"The whole firm is gutted, really sombre and in total shock – we can't believe it's happened.

"The Hustlers are a very close-knit family and their faith is very strong.

"I think that their faith will get them through this.

"Amanda is a really lovely person. She knows all the employees by name and is always very friendly and chatty.

"We're all carrying on working so the family don't have to worry about the business – it's the least we can do."

Danielle Hustler is an engineer at the firm. Jonathan Cock worked for the company in 2007 and Danielle is believed to have gone out with him for around a year before finishing with him six weeks ago.

It is thought the violence might have erupted after Mr and Mrs Hustler stopped their daughter from seeing Mr Cock.

Tony Oldfield, a member of the Jehovah's Witness church in Camborne, said: "It's a terrible thing to happen to our community. We all have very strong views about anti-violence. I think Adam and Amanda did stop their daughter from seeing him but only to protect her."

After the double-shooting, the couple were taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske, Truro, where Mr Hustler died.

His wife was later transferred to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

Seven hours after the incident, the suspect was arrested at his home in Newbridge, near Penzance, at around 5am on Sunday.

He was taken to Derriford Hospital with self-inflicted facial wounds. It is not clear if he tried to take his own life.

Mr Cock lives at Great Bosullow Farm, Bosullow, Newbridge, near Penzance, with his father Stephen and stepmother Nicola.

The Cocks run the 184-acre working farm and disability activity centre called Moorvue Rural Centre.

A sign was up at the premises yesterday saying it was closed for the day.

According to local residents the family are practising Jehovah's Witnesses and attend the Hayle Kingdom Hall branch of the Jehovah's Witnesses at St Erth.

Yesterday, a police car was on guard outside the large white bungalow.

Supt Michelle Slevin said officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the killing.

She added: "Inquiries are ongoing into the investigation. Searches are continuing to locate any weapon or weapons used and forensic examinations of a number of scenes are taking place.

"Following this, specialist searches will be undertaken. All these aspects of the inquiry will support our investigation to ascertain how Mr Hustler and other family members came to be injured.

"We can confirm one man was arrested on suspicion of murder and is currently in police custody – he has not yet been interviewed.

"As part of our investigation, we are also looking at how the suspect came to receive his injuries.

"We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident."