Victim shielded girlfriend

The girlfriend of a man shot dead in a Hamilton home has woken in hospital, distraught at the heartbreaking reality she faces. Not only did Kahlee Marfell’s boyfriend of five years die protecting her, but a childhood friend of theirs is critically ill in intensive care from gunshot wounds. It was 1am when Kahlee, 20, and Robert Nelson, 23, ran to the bedroom to hide when the shooter began firing. Robert died as he shielded Kahlee. It was only chance that the three were at the suburban Hamilton house that night. Police said on Sunday that the house was ‘‘targeted’’, although the motive for the killing is unclear. ‘‘The light of my world has been snuffed out,’’ Kahlee told Robert’s sister, Erin Nelson, from her hospital bed yesterday. She and the friend in critical condition are both under police guard at Waikato Hospital. Yesterday afternoon, the shooter remained at large as police continued their inquiries.