MOTHER CHARGED WITH BOYFRIEND MURDER
Woman charged with shooting boyfriend dead
PAANICE Lawrence moved to Australia from New Zealand about a year ago in search of a new life.
Today, she will appear in Southport Magistrates Court charged with the murder of her 46-year-old boyfriend.
The 39-year-old is alleged to have shot the man yesterday morning at her Southport home before phoning triple-0 for help. Paramedics were unable to save him at the Waverley St address. Police yesterday said there had been no history of reported domestic violence between the pair.
Ms Lawrence, who on social media describes her relationship status as “complicated”, left her job at a golf club in Auckland in October 2016 to return to Australia. She had previously lived on the NSW Central Coast.
ABOUT one year ago, Paania Lawrence left Auckland in search of a new life in Australia.
Last night, the 39-year-old mother was charged with murder over the shooting death of her 46-year-old boyfriend on the Gold Coast.
The man was allegedly shot dead at Ms Lawrence’s Southport home early yesterday morning.
She is believed to have phoned triple-0 for help just after 2am but when paramedics arrived at the Waverley St address they were unable to revive the man. He died at the scene. The 46-year-old has not been identified as police were yesterday informing his next of kin.
Shortly after the man’s death, Ms Lawrence – whose legal name is Paanice Lawrence – was escorted by detectives to the Southport Watchhouse and spent the day assisting police with their inquiries before being charged with one count each of murder and unlawful possession of a category H weapon.
She is due to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court today. The 39-year-old’s social media shows she is originally from Berkeley Vale on the NSW Central Coast, but previously lived in Auckland.
A Facebook post indicates she quit her job at the Royal Auckland Golf Club in October 2016 before returning to Australia later that year.
In the past six months she uploaded happy snaps of visits to the Glass House Mountains and family birthdays being celebrated at Couran Cove.
Online, Ms Lawrence describes her relationship status as “complicated” but Acting Detective Inspector Matt Ward yesterday said there had been no history of reported domestic violence between the pair.
“Initial information indicates they were in an intimate relationship for the past six months,” Acting Detective Inspector Ward said.
“There is no knowledge of domestic violence ... but we are exploring whether there was any DV that has not been reported to police.”
The deceased man did not live at the Southport address.
Police said a male and female witness were also at the address at the time of the shooting.
A young child and two other adults are believed to have been in a caravan at the back of the property when the gun was allegedly fired.
The child is not related to the deceased or Ms Lawrence.
A gun has been located but police are still investigating whether it was the weapon used.
Acting Detective Inspector Ward said it was “disturbing” a gun had been fired in a suburban street and police were exploring how the weapon came to be in the possession of the shooter.
“There is legislation which controls people’s storage and possession (of guns) and that is something we are exploring,” he said.