Bernie Madoff’s sister and her husband found dead in apparent murder-suicide

The sister of the Wall Street fraudster Bernie Madoff and her husband were found dead in Florida in what investigators said was an apparent murder-suicide.

The Palm Beach county sheriff's office on Sunday identified the couple as 87-year-old Sondra Wiener of Boynton Beach and her 90-year-old husband, Marvin Wiener.

They were found unresponsive with gunshot wounds on Thursday afternoon, inside their residence.

"Detectives from the violent crimes division arrived on scene to investigate further," the sheriff's office said. "After further investigation it appears to be a murder-suicide."

Officials said causes of death would be determined by the medical examiner's office.

A woman who identified herself as the wife of the couple's son, David Wiener, asked for privacy "at this time of grief".

Contacted by phone, she said: "We are not making any comment at this time."