Expat : Detectives are investigating the killing of David King ( pictured ) , a 70-year-old pensioner from Newham , east London , who retired to Normandy . A fight over stolen vegetables may have led to a British expat being murdered and dumped at the bottom of a well , French police fear . The macabre theory has been outlined by detectives investigating the killing of David King , a 70-year-old pensioner from Newham , east London , who retired to Normandy 15 years ago . His body was found by sniffer dogs last week in the picturesque hamlet of Pierres , south-west of Caen , and an unnamed 28-year-old Frenchman has been charged with his murder . The alleged killer was living rough in the area , and is thought to have been behind a number of thefts in the area . Now prosecutor Carole Etienne has said that Mr King , a keen gardener , may well have confronted the man over stolen vegetables . Ms Etienne , who is leading the police enquiry , said : ‘ Among the vague attempts at an explanation given by the accused , we are looking at the possibility of a fight over the theft of foodstuffs . ‘ In one night , a whole plot of leeks might disappear . One person saw four rabbits vanishing overnight. ’ Ms Etienne added : ‘ People were getting more and more angry , and some were even threatening to defend their plots with shotguns ’ . Neighbours of Mr King , who was hugely proud of his vegetable garden , told Le Parisien newspaper that a description of the thief corresponds to the alleged murderer . Discovery : In February , Mr King 's car , a Renault Scenic ( above ) was found parked in Vire , a nearby town , but there was no sign of any body . Family and neighbours of Mr King have attacked detectives for allowing his suspected murderer to remain at large for six months . Interpol , the international police organisation , had initially refused to open a missing person ’ s enquiry . Instead they believed Mr King had travelled to Australia to see his daughter , Sandie Ray . Mr King had been living in France for 15 years . Ms Ray , who lives in Perth , Australia , said her father ’ s passport details had been mixed up with another David King , who had indeed travelled to Australia from France . She said this was known by November last year , but ‘ the French authorities still hadn ’ t been formally notified of this via Interpol until approximately three months later ’ . Ms Ray said a quicker enquiry would have avoided ‘ lots of anxiety and frustration for our family and dads friends. ’ John King , Mr King ’ s son , who lives in Brighton , East Sussex , said the botched investigation had been a ‘ bureaucratic nightmare ’ for all concerned . Other expats living in the area said it was ‘ hugely frightening ’ to have a suspected murderer living in their midst while the operation went on . ‘ This is an isolated part of the world , and everyone is potentially vulnerable to attack , ’ said one . ‘ Detectives should have worked out what was going on far quicker . The slow speed of the enquiry was unacceptable . ' In February , Mr King 's car , a Renault Scenic was found parked in Vire , a nearby town , but there was no sign of any body .
killer King , 70 , from east ##bourne , moved to Normandy 15 years ago . Body found by police dogs and a dog has been charged with murder . Alleged killer was living rough and is ' behind number of thefts in area ' Gardener Mr police detectives have confronted him over stolen vegetables .