A mental health crisis allegedly brought on by devastating financial losses preceded the apparent murder-suicide of a wealthy fashion industry couple, according to a relative.

Bryan Walker, 64, and his wife of more than 30 years, Michelle Min, 63, were found dead Friday on the terrace of their $1.2 million home in the hills near UC Berkeley, California.

Min’s brother, Paul Min, 58, said there had been no apparent trouble in the couple’s marriage. However, he claimed Walker had lost a fortune through a series of risky financial decisions.

Paul alleged that Walker had secretly borrowed money against properties and pursued increasingly dangerous investments. Those losses left him convinced that he had squandered more than $100 million.

The financial collapse reportedly sent Walker into a severe psychological decline during the weeks leading up to the couple’s deaths.

“He just curled up into a ball, and he was just sobbing like a baby for weeks on end,” Paul told The California Post. “He was just completely useless.”

The family became so alarmed by Walker’s deteriorating condition that they feared he might take his own life. According to Paul, relatives eventually arranged for him to be admitted to a psychiatric facility.

But Paul said the crisis turned violent on the morning Walker was expected to enter the facility.

Just before the shooting, Walker allegedly sent a disturbing message to a friend who lived nearby: “Call 911!”

The friend immediately rushed toward the house, but gunshots rang out before he could get there.

Paul believes Walker had positioned a firearm downstairs before Michelle stepped onto the patio with the couple’s small dog, Pip.

He alleged that Walker then went upstairs, shot his wife and used the weapon against himself.

Oakland police have not officially classified the deaths as a murder-suicide. Investigators are still working to establish what happened, and officers have recovered one firearm from the home.

Surveillance footage reviewed by CBS News captured the frightening moments surrounding the deaths.

At approximately 10:43 a.m. Friday, the recording captured a gunshot, followed by the sound of a man crying and screaming in what CBS described as a “very dramatic” scene.

A second gunshot was heard moments later. After that, CBS reported, “it was dead quiet.”

The tragedy ended a marriage that Paul said had lasted for more than 30 years.

The couple ran women’s fashion company Bryn Walker, although Paul said his sister controlled the business while her husband had not worked for some time.

Walker was allowed to ‘play’ with some of their money, according to Paul, but his brother-in-law claims the investments spiraled out of control.

Walker allegedly borrowed against family properties without their knowledge and gambled on risky options and leveraged positions.

By mid-September, Paul said Walker believed the damage exceeded $100 million.

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‘Imagine that happening to you? You would collapse,’ Paul said. ‘Your spouse lied to you and lost over $100 million and you might be out on the streets.

‘You might go from being one of the wealthiest people in the country to being homeless because your husband lied to you and wagered everything on crazy bets.’

Min refused to give up, according to Paul, who said she devoted herself to caring for her husband as he deteriorated, feeding and comforting him while desperately trying to convince him that their situation could be repaired.

She even allegedly hired what Paul described as a ‘hotshot’ Chicago accountant to untangle their finances.

The accountant concluded that the couple’s predicament was not as disastrous as Walker feared.

But Paul said his brother-in-law’s mental state had already deteriorated drastically.

Walker ‘had basically gone insane,’ the family claimed.

Relatives also took the precaution of hiding the family’s firearms because of concerns that Walker could hurt himself.

But Paul believes Walker managed to retrieve a gun and concealed it in a downstairs bedroom, where he loaded it before the shooting.

The family was preparing to have him institutionalized after their other attempts to get him help had failed, Paul said.

Investigators also discovered what Paul characterized as a form of suicide note at the property.

It contained passcodes for both Walker’s and Michelle’s phones, which Paul believes were left so relatives could access them and sort out the couple’s affairs.

Paul said his sister remained devoted to Walker even after discovering the scale of his alleged financial decisions and is devastated that her husband felt she had to die alongside him.

‘Why take our beautiful sister?’ Paul asked. ‘Why not just kill yourself?’

‘My sister was utterly devoted to Bryan to the very end, and he shot her.

‘She didn’t say anything harsh to him. She just said, “Bryan, you’ve been sick. It’s my fault, I should have known better. I should have known you were in a crisis.”

‘She blamed herself. That’s the kind of person she was.’

Paul believes Walker may have acted after discovering that relatives planned to have him institutionalized, although he acknowledged that even the family does not know precisely what happened or why.

‘I think he was just too weak to go by himself,’ Paul said. ‘I used to think of him as a strong person, but I’d never seen him tested. When he lost his money, I kept trying to tell him, like, “It’s just money.”‘

Paul now plans to take over the family’s fashion business while relatives attempt to unravel what he described as the ‘complete mess’ left behind.

Oakland police are leading the investigation and have not ruled out murder-suicide. The Daily Mail has contacted the force for comment.

Skipping an occasion as significant to the Beckham family calendar as Victoria’s seasonal fashion show might normally call for a discreet getaway—perhaps somewhere far from the spotlight in the Andes.

Brooklyn Beckham and his wife, Nicola Peltz, chose a very different approach. Rather than keeping out of view, the pair were photographed nearby, presenting the image of a glamorous couple enjoying a carefree, flirtatious walk through Paris.

Brooklyn, 27, and Nicola, 31, were notably missing once again from a major Beckham family gathering, even as they attended several other high-profile events across the city.

David Beckham, 51, meanwhile, stood proudly beside Victoria at her show. He was joined by their children Romeo, Cruz and Harper as the family gathered to support the designer at the Conciergerie, the historic former royal palace at 2 Boulevard du Palais.

Brooklyn and Nicola, who have been married for four years, arrived in Paris earlier in the week. They enjoyed a date night on Wednesday before taking their seats at the Balenciaga show at the Tennis Club de Paris.

On the night of Victoria’s runway presentation, the couple instead stepped out together for a highly publicised stroll, appearing unconcerned by the attention surrounding their decision to miss the family event.

Nicola channelled a polished, fashion-forward look in black leather trousers, while the couple adopted carefully composed poses for photographers. Their appearance seemed designed to project confidence and a sense of ease beyond the Beckham family spotlight.

She has previously drawn comparisons to Victoria after recreating one of the designer’s best-known poses, lifting a leg high beside her head in an especially flexible display.

However, not every detail of the photographs suggested complete ease. Some observers could also read hints of tension in the couple’s body language.

Nicola appeared highly aware of the cameras, repeatedly offering a broad, symmetrical smile with visible dimples as she moved along the street.

Brooklyn, by contrast, seemed more focused on displaying affection. His poses included attempts to draw Nicola closer and lean in for a kiss, giving the impression of someone eager to emphasise their romantic connection in public.

The contrast between them was striking: Nicola maintained a poised, camera-ready stance, while Brooklyn looked more physically animated as he placed an arm around her shoulders, bunching up his shirt in the process.

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In one photograph, Brooklyn appears to lead the way while glancing back at Nicola, whose expression seems more subdued. Another image captures her laughing broadly, a moment that could be interpreted as an effort to keep the mood upbeat for the cameras.

At one point, Brooklyn leans towards Nicola as though asking for a kiss. She appears to remain focused on her pose, standing with her feet apart and facing forward while laughing with her mouth open.

Elsewhere in Paris, Victoria presented a very different family image. Posing with her loved ones, she appeared to take on the role of protective matriarch, with the group arranged around her and the family’s girlfriends positioned at either end of the line-up.

The message was echoed on social media, where the family group photograph made no mention of the relatives who were absent from the gathering.

Instead, the fashion designer wrote: ‘To my friends and family, I feel so blessed to have you all by my side xxx.’

David also shared a post offering similar praise of his wife, writing: ‘We are so proud of you, yet again you show your elegance, passion & beauty in how you want people to feel in your clothes.

‘We feel so lucky to be part of your beautiful night in a place that we love so much. Well done we couldn’t be prouder.’

The image shows Victoria’s chin raised in a look of defiance, and she has the same arm around her man as Nicola does around her son. 

Unlike her normal signature poses that usually involve a tilted head and a shyer glance to camera, her look is one of utter confidence, with her eyes staring straight into the lens. 

Her masculine-style pants suit is worn with the sleeves pushed back to suggest she means business and one hand is thrown into a pocket to make her confidence appear casual.

She stands with Harper and Romeo slightly behind her as though keeping them under her wing, while Cruz stands at the other side, leaning in towards his parents and mirroring his dad.

Kemi Badenoch arrived at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham promising to cut £13billion from the welfare budget by removing disability benefit eligibility for conditions including ADHD.

In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, the Conservative leader argued that “mild anxiety, ADHD or routine back pain do not mean you cannot work”. She also pledged to end what she described as “cash handouts that leave people trapped in a cycle of worklessness”.

The Conservatives plan to make welfare reform a central dividing line with Andy Burnham’s Labour, as the party targets the £333billion annual cost of the social security system amid speculation that Westminster could face a snap election in the spring.

While Mr Burnham used Labour’s conference speech last week to promise an “adjustment” to the pensions triple lock, Ms Badenoch is expected to defend the current arrangement. Instead, she will focus on the growing number of disability claims linked to mental health conditions.

An investigation by this newspaper earlier this year found that taxpayers were paying out £800 a minute in disability benefits to people claiming anxiety-related difficulties.

Spending on personal independence payments (PIP) for anxiety has climbed from less than £100million in 2019 to almost £427million last year. Under the current rules, payments can be claimed regardless of income and applicants do not necessarily have to undergo a medical examination.

The benefit, which can be worth as much as £194 a week, may be awarded on the basis of a personal diary or a letter from a friend outlining the effect anxiety has on someone’s everyday life.

PIP claims linked to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have risen from 24,697 to 91,181 in six years. Claims associated with autism have increased from 61,641 to 210,605 over the same period, with the two conditions together costing about £2.4billion annually.

Under Ms Badenoch’s proposals, “mild health conditions” including anxiety and routine back pain would no longer automatically qualify people for disability benefits. The conditions currently account for 43 per cent of PIP claims, and the change is expected to save taxpayers £13billion.

Instead, affected claimants would be offered help with their conditions, supported by £1billion of additional funding for therapies and occupational health services.

Eligibility would be determined through face-to-face appointments and what the Conservatives described as a “thorough, evidence-based assessment process”.

People who lose their payments would still be able to access mental health services, including talking therapies.

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Government spending on sickness and disability benefits for working-age people is projected to reach £71.4billion by 2029. PIP spending alone is expected to hit £41.2billion, more than three times the £12.9billion recorded in 2019.

Ms Badenoch said: “My focus is making sure that those who can work, do work. Mild anxiety, ADHD or routine back pain do not mean you cannot work. We should also stop pretending that a diagnosis is a reason to give up on someone.

“There is nothing compassionate about telling a young person that their future is a lifetime on benefits. Where people have mild conditions, we should help them, not leave them behind.”

“Andy Burnham won’t address these issues because he’s more interested in appealing to Labour members than tackling the ballooning welfare bill. It’s time to get serious on benefits. We are the only party that will.”

Payments for psychiatric disorders have surged since the Covid pandemic, and such conditions now account for more than 40 per cent of all PIP claims.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies has reported that mental health conditions were responsible for 55 per cent of the growth in disability benefit spending.

A thriving cottage industry of unregulated no-win, no-fee firms has grown up to coach applicants through the process, taking up to 60 per cent of any backdated payment secured.

Helen Whately, shadow secretary of state for work and pensions, said: ‘One in four people now consider themselves disabled.

‘Claims for disability benefits have doubled since 2019 – but Britain isn’t twice as sick.

‘Our sickness benefit system was built with the best of intentions, but it is broken.

‘It pays better to be off sick and claim benefits than get help and work. The incentives are all wrong. Writing millions of people off onto benefits is morally wrong.

‘And it’s unfair to the taxpayers footing the bill. Conservatives will reform our sickness benefit system to bring down the welfare bill and get people back to work.’

Former Premier League striker Andy Carroll has confirmed that he was sexually assaulted by dance coach Kevin Adams, who appeared on the BBC talent show Fame Academy.

Adams, now 59, was convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court and sentenced to 20 months in prison in 2023.

He worked as a coach on the BBC1 programme in 2002 and later appeared on Strictly It Takes Two in 2021.

The 37-year-old former Newcastle United and Liverpool forward identified the “celebrity mate” who assaulted him after learning that Adams had been named in publicly available court documents.

Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, Carroll said: “Now that Kevin Adams has been named in court documents as my abuser, I can confirm it.

“Hopefully now I can finally begin to put this chapter of my life behind me.

“It had a devastating impact on my life and on the people I love.”

Carroll now plays for National League South side Dagenham & Redbridge, where he is also assistant manager. In his new book, Owning It, he described the incident as “traumatic” and said he made the decision to include it only “at the last minute” after lengthy conversations with his publisher.

The footballer said he woke after having “a few drinks” and found his “celebrity mate” attempting to perform oral sex on him.

In the book, released last month, Carroll wrote: “There are other things I would rather forget but cannot. Something happened to me several years ago that was so traumatic I decided to include it only at the very last minute.

“I was sexually assaulted. There, I said it. It is frightening even to think about, and only a few people knew before now.”

Carroll said the assault took place after a Newcastle United match, when Adams invited himself to Carroll’s home to watch a boxing bout.

Describing their relationship, he wrote: “He was always asking me and my ex to go out with him, and he even bought me clothes. He was divorced with children, but I could not shake the feeling that he liked me as more than a friend.

“Whenever I saw him at parties, he was always with young boys.”

Carroll continued: “I was playing somewhere in the south and, on my way home, this man texted to ask what I was doing.

“When he messaged again to ask whether he could come over to watch the boxing with me, my partner told me to stop ‘pieing him off’—putting him off.

“He took over the kitchen and began mixing drinks. I started to feel lightheaded and wondered whether he had put something in one of them. ‘Right, time for bed,’ I told him. ‘I’ll order you a taxi.’

“‘Oh no,’ he replied. ‘I’ll stay in the spare room.’”

He then claims he awoke to find Adams sexually assaulting him.

‘I sleep naked and when I wake up this guy is under the duvet trying to give me a blowjob.’

Carroll went on to ‘smack’ him as he ordered him out the house. ‘I smack him as hard as I can and he hits the deck,’ he writes.

‘I grab hold of his feet and drag him out on the driveway. I go back inside, lock the door and call the police and the nanny. And then it suddenly occurs to me, what if I killed him?

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‘He regains consciousness just as the police turn up and immediately starts telling the police I hit him for no reason. As it is the police arrest him and I have to go to the station as well.’

Adams was subsequently found guilty of sexual offences and imprisoned.

He was also placed on the Sex Offender Register and banned from entering the village where Carroll lived.

Adams had tried to argue in his defence that he had been assaulted by Carroll but the judge told him: ‘You spun a literally incredible tale in which you painted yourself as the victim. You’ve actually started to believe your own lies.’ 

Before he was sentenced, Adams had run a children’s dance school, the Kevin Adams Academy, in Harlow, Essex. Records show that the company ceased operations in 2022.

Carroll took to his Instagram stories last week and revealed he has been inundated with messages of support from male sex assault victims after sharing his harrowing ordeal. 

He wrote: ‘It’s been incredibly hard for me to speak about what happened. I’m still navigating what I feel comfortable sharing publicly.

‘Since speaking out, so many men have messaged me about their own experiences.

‘That has been incredibly powerful and has reminded me just how important it is that men feel able to talk when they’re ready. 

‘But speaking out has to happen on our own terms. We should be able to decide how much we share, when we share it and whether or not we name the person responsible. 

‘Naming a perpetrator can have consequences for the victim too, emotionally and personally. For me, taking back control means being able to tell my story in the way that feels right for me, without feeling pressured to give people more than I’m ready to give.’ 

Carroll described the court case as ‘humiliating and embarrassing and absolutely horrendous’, while the attacker denied the allegations.

‘The case dragged on for two years. Nobody else knew about it other than my partner and her family.

‘The police called me to say he had been found guilty and I started uncontrollably crying.’

He added: ‘What happened to me affected every facet of my life. I’d think about it every day, making it difficult to focus on anything else, including football…The trauma of what happened to me hasn’t gone away.’

After speaking with girlfriend Lou Teasdale, 42, he decided opening up about being assaulted would be ‘worth it’ if it helped others.

‘Me and Lou spent a lot of time discussing whether to mention it in this book or not. I avoided my publisher for so long that they probably suspected I got cold feet.

‘Scary to talk about but it’s made the person I am today as much as any of the good stuff. And if me talking about it helps just one person then good it will have been worth it.’

The ex-Premier League footballer recently pleaded not guilty to breaching a non-molestation order after being accused of repeatedly calling his reality TV star ex-wife Billi Mucklow.

Carroll has formally entered a plea of not guilty to the charge and is due to stand trial next January.

The footballer and The Only Way Is Essex star Billi, 38, were together for 11 years but confirmed their split in September 2024 after secretly separating earlier in the year.

They got engaged in 2014 before marrying in 2022 and share three children. Mucklow also cares for Carroll’s two other children from a previous relationship. 

The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Andy Carroll and Kevin Adams for comment.

• If you have been affected by this story, you can contact Rape Crisis on 0808 500 2222 or visit their website