‘Rot in hell’: family abuse murderer
A butcher who brutally murdered a Christchurch sex worker has been jailed for at least 18 years.
Sainey Marong, 33, was sentenced in the High Court at Christchurch on Friday to life imprisonment with an 18-year non-parole period for the murder of Renee Duckmanton.
The Crown said the killing was driven by his ‘‘unhealthy desire for necrophilia’’.
Marong strangled 22-year-old Duckmanton during a dispute after having sex in the back of his car on May 14, 2016.
He dumped her body on the side of a rural Rakaia road the following day and set her on fire.
Duckmanton’s mother, Tracy, reading a victim impact statement in court, told Marong she hoped he would ‘‘rot in hell’’.
She described Renee as ‘‘beautiful, goofy, bubbly, loving, sweet, trusting, and naı¨ve’’.
Renee had suffered cerebral palsy at birth which made her vulnerable physically and emotionally as she grew up.
Family members remarked that Marong showed no remorse and demanded that he look at them as they read victim impact statements.
Surveillance footage and cellphone tracking showed Marong, who is from Gambia, was with Duckmanton when she went missing.
His DNA was found on a lighter and a beanie, at the spot where Duckmanton’s body was dumped and burned, and her hair was found on the back seat of his car.
In the weeks leading up to Duckmanton’s death, Marong searched what chemicals kidnappers used, how to kidnap someone, escorts, necrophilia, how to track a phone and videos relating to kidnapping and raping girls.
He visited a pornography website for videos involving necrophilia and read stories and Wikipedia entries about the murders of Christchurch prostitutes Suzie Sutherland in 2005 and Mellory Manning in 2008.
In defending the murder charge, Marong claimed he was suffering from a ‘‘disease of the mind’’ when he killed Duckmanton. The jury rejected this. Justice Cameron Mander described the murder as ‘‘particularly callous and cruel’’ before he jailed Marong.
Family of the victim shouted abuse at Marong as he was led away. One man tried to rush the dock, but was stopped.
Crown prosecutor Pip Currie pointed to the Ilam butcher’s planning and his internet searches about murder, kidnapping, and necrophilia before the murder.
She told Justice Cameron Mander that Marong had conducted detailed and determined searches about how to kill someone, and about his ‘‘unhealthy and unpleasant’’ interest in necrophilia.
Currie said: ‘‘The intention to kill was directly related to this unhealthy desire for necrophilia.
‘‘There are no charges but it is clear that sexual activity took place. It would appear the inference to be drawn is that the defendant killed Renee to carry out a sexual fantasy or desire. It is a clear inference from the fixation on necrophilia that this is what he was interested in,’’ she said.
Justice Mander said: ‘‘There is a lingering question of whether sexual intercourse took place before or after the murder. The Crown acknowledges that because it cannot prove that aspect, it must be put to one side.’’
Renee Duckmanton’s father Brent McGrath said he wanted to speak to immigration authorities.
‘‘I’m ropeable. If Immigration had done its job Renee would still be alive. I want Immigration to explain to me why he was in this country. I’ve been deported before and it was done like that [immediately].’’
Sarong came to New Zealand in 2014 through Hong Kong and tore up his passport at the airport. The Immigration Act prevents publication of further details relating to his immigration status.