RAGLAN SHOOTING
Fiancee’s pain
The devastated siblings of slain Australian tourist Sean McKinnon say they don’t know how their family will get over the loss, but they are grateful his fiancee is alive.
The emotional tribute to their youngest brother came after the 23-year-old Waikato man accused of McKinnon’s murder appeared in court yesterday.
And police continue to scour a Waikato farming community in search of a weapon.
McKinnon’s body was found in his rented campervan at Gordonton, north of Hamilton, at 8am on Friday, sparking a homicide investigation. The 33-year-old had been on a surfing holiday with his Canadian fiancee Bianca Buckley, a midwife at Middlemore Hospital in south Auckland.
The pair were free camping at the
remote Te Toto Gorge carpark south of Raglan overnight on Thursday when McKinnon was allegedly shot. Buckley escaped and ran 2km in bare feet on a bush road to raise the alarm.
The accused, who has interim name suppression, was arrested Friday night by armed police as they executed a search warrant on a rural property at Tauhei, east of Hamilton.
The victim’s eldest sister, Emmeline McKinnon, spoke outside court of her family’s heartbreak at the loss of their “wonderful” brother.
“We love him very deeply. We were devastated to hear that his life had been taken from him,” she said.
“We just don’t even know how to begin to put life together. The worst thing was telling my mother. I think he was my Mum’s favourite.”
Emmeline said McKinnon loved being in New Zealand to visit Buckley, when between jobs in Australia.
“He loved the surf here. He loved the lifestyle and the place.”
Emmeline said Buckley was “amazingly resilient and strong”.
“I cannot even begin to understand what she’s gone through.”
The family had been supporting Buckley, who was now their priority, she said.
“We’re just really glad she’s alive.” Emmeline, her younger brother Lachlan, and sister Mary McKinnon wanted to wait for the release of their brother’s body so they could take him home to bury him.
McKinnon had been working as a carpenter at Stephen Little Construction in Hobart, Tasmania.
Hutchinson Builders site manager Mark Mackney said workers were downcast at the site on Saturday.
“He was an extremely likeable man and will be surely missed by his workmates here in Tasmania.
“We will inform the full site on Monday morning of this sad loss and pay our respect with a minute’s silence.”
Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley said members of the community came forward with information that helped locate the accused.
The man was found hiding in an empty farm worker’s cabin. The farmer, who did not want to be named, said he lived down the road and did not hear the 11pm arrest.
Police had a vehicle towed from the scene on Saturday afternoon and continued searching areas of nearby Whitikahu School.
Neighbours of the cabin, siblings Steve Davies and Merita Proffitt, said police arrived quickly and in numbers.
“We didn’t know what was going on but we knew something was going on,” Proffitt said.
Meanwhile a housemate of the accused was shaken after the arrest. The young man boards at a house in the Waikato with the alleged killer, who was charged with murder, robbery, causing grievous bodily harm, threatening to kill and driving while disqualified.
The housemate said his friend helped him recover from a loss.
“He found me in a bad place. I moved in with him.”
The accused was remanded in custody to reappear in the High Court on August 27.