Killed after all-clear
where the elderly couple had been killed, despite launching a fullscale search in King Country.
More than 15 properties in Te Awamutu, Pirongia and Otorohanga areas had been. Officers also made several enquiries with the three local camping grounds at Kawhia on Wednesday, but there had been no sightings of Bremner or the car.
On Thursday and Friday police continued the search of properties in Arapuni in south Waikato, Ohope Beach and Cambridge.
‘‘Establishing the timeline of events that took place, including the route that Ross Bremner took in the silver Holden Vectra is a key priority for the investigation team,’’ she said.
‘‘This is a tragic outcome and CHRISTEL YARDLEY / FAIRFAX NZ we acknowledge the sense of shock this has brought to several close-knit Waikato communities.’’
Family of the ‘‘bubbly’’ elderly couple stood vigil at the property’s gate and as a single body – believed to be Bremner’s – was removed from the farmhouse yesterday, they turned their backs as the hearse passed.
At a press conference in Hamilton yesterday, Waikato Police Acting Area Commander Naila Hassan said a scene examination at the remote property would continue last night.
‘‘It has now been established that the [victims] are not related at all. It is possible that they didn’t know him [Bremner] at all.’’
Police had not been hunting in the Kawhia area at all for Bremner, Hassan said. But during the search they had said there was no risk to the public.
The elderly couple’s bodies were last night finally removed from the property following the forensic examination.
Their bodies were found by neighbours after 7pm on Friday night.
Local farmer Allan Smith got a call at midnight to say there were problems at Willow Point.
‘‘At that stage, the inference was that Ross Bremner was involved. Nobody is sure where the links come from – we are totally blind to that.
‘‘It’s certainly a time of uncertainty and grief,’’ Smith said, ‘‘absolutely in shock, and you have to come and support the family.’’
He said it has been a scary time for residents, who had been calling each other regularly.
The couple mostly lived in Te Kuiti but regularly spent time at the Kawhia Harbour Rd farmhouse on the water’s edge.
Smith said the couple were keen dart players and played regularly in competitions in the Waitomo area. ‘‘They were a bubbly family. They were full of fun.’’
Police say Bremner’s parents, Carol, 60, and Keith, 64, were attacked at 6.15pm on Tuesday in Otorohanga – two hours before the alarm was raised. His father, Keith, remains in a critical condition at Waikato Hospital.