WORLD : Art Theft Suspect, Wife Found Dead

An international art dealer suspected in the theft of millions of dollars worth of oil paintings was found dead in his apartment in an apparent murder-suicide, police said today.

Building superintendent Don Andrews said the bodies of Peter Nixon, 58, and his wife, Evelyn, 55, were found Monday in the bedroom of their London apartment, in the province of Ontario, and were believed to have been dead about a week. A handgun was also found. Andrews said Peter Nixon was at the center of an international investigation into the theft of 20 oil paintings. Andrews speculated that the art dealer, originally from Britain, and his wife may have felt cornered by the police. Twelve of the 20 paintings, some of which date back several centuries and are valued at more the $10 million, have been recovered in Europe, the United States and Canada.