The crucial evidence that was almost missed
The most compelling piece of evidence in the case against convicted killer Mark Lundy was initially treated with scepticism by detectives who thought brain tissue found on Lundy’s shirt could be “snot” or “spit”.
Palmerston North pathologist Cynric Temple- Camp has detailed his involvement in what he described as the “bizarre and complicated” murder case, including patiently explaining to police what brain tissue looks like, in his soon- to- be- released book The Cause of Death.
Lundy is serving a life sentence for the murder of his wife Christine and daughter Amber, 7, who were found bludgeoned to death in their Palmerston North home in August 2000.
Lundy was on a business trip at the time and has always maintained his innocence, but has t wice been convicted of the murders — in 2002 and at a retrial in 2015. He has ap- pealed his latest convictions, and the appeal will be heard in October.
While the Crown case against Lundy was largely circumstantial — and contentious after police initially said Lundy had made an incredibly fast and dangerous cross- country drive in the middle of the night to murder his family — a piece of tissue discovered on one of Lundy’s shirts sealed his convictions.
DNA testing later linked the tissue to Christine.
Temple- Camp is a South African pathologist who has worked in Palmerston North for 30 years and his book covers his time in the field, including working on various local crimes.
In t wo chapters devoted to the high profile Lundy case, TempleCamp said two months after the murders a detective presented him with a small slide containing a smear of biological matter measuring just half a millimetre.
It had been collected by a forensics team and the defence later disputed that it was brain, arguing there had been cross- contamination, and suggesting the tissue was leftover from a bacon sandwich.
Temple- Camp said it took minutes to identify the matter by sight. Three attending pathologists and t wo registrars agreed the smear was brain matter after observing the sample had blood vessels consistent with deep tissue — contrary to the “sceptical” detective’s suggestion the matter could have been spit, or snot, he wrote.
The small tissue was sent for testing in the United States, and Texan pathologist Dr Rodney Miller confirmed it was brain matter and later gave evidence at trial.
Temple- Camp described the tissue as a “very lucky break” for prosecutors, noting it was small enough to have dried and perfectly preserved itself on the shirt, therefore escaping the attention of Lundy who could have removed it.
Lundy’s latest appeal will be heard in October. Appeal notices indicate Lundy’s defence team will argue that the science behind the tissue identification was too complex for jurors to understand.
Lundy is not eligible for parole until 2022.
The Cause of Death i s released August 1. All proceeds will go to the Palmerston North Helicopter Rescue Trust.