A Briton whose wife and baby daughter were victims of a bizarre killing could also be in danger, it emerged yesterday.

Police in the US believe that former York University student Neil Entwistle may be "running scared" of whoever killed his American wife, Rachel, and their nine-month-old baby, Lillian, at their rented home in Massachusetts.

But the 27-year-old jobless computer expert, now back in this country, is reported to have refused to talk to US investigators after receiving legal advice before a meeting at the American Embassy, in London, on Friday.

The bodies of Mrs Ent- wistle, 27, and Lillian were found on a bed under a pile of blankets last weekend. Both had been shot with a small-bore handgun, which has not been found.

Mr Entwistle, who left York University after a four-year degree course in 2002, flew back to England on the same weekend.

He is now believed to be at his parents' home in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.

Detectives say he is not a suspect in the case but a "person of interest".

One theory the investigators are looking at is that the killings could have been some form of retribution over business dealings that the Entwistles may have been involved in.

The scene of the killings showed no signs of a burglary gone wrong and officers are focusing on an "execution" scenario.

Threatening e-mails against Mrs Entwistle have been discovered and the authorities are also looking into Mr Entwistle's online busin- esses.

According to the Boston Globe, Mr Entwistle registered with Internet auction site eBay in 2004 under the name srpublications, and advertised another venture designed to help bidders establish pornography websites for a down payment of about $1,700.

The eBay account was suspended on January 9.

The investigators are also said to be scrutinising business interests, which included an address in York and another in Clerkenwell, London.

On Friday, Mr Entwistle had voluntarily travelled to London to meet four US detectives who had flown from the US.

But sources close to the investigation later said he was not co-operating with the police, on the advice of his lawyers.