Killer drove around in victim’s car
The killer of veteran journalist Derek Round drove around Whanganui for hours in his blue Jaguar after bashing him to death, police say.
Mr Round, 77, was found dead in the living room of his Campbell St home on Thursday morning.
Police believe he died on Wednesday evening after suffering a ‘‘number of violent blows to the head’’.
They will not say whether a weapon was used in the attack.
Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Kirby, of Whanganui CIB, said a person saw Mr Round’s 1996 blue Jaguar XJ6 being driven down Somme Pde in the suburb of Aramoho about 8am – about 30 minutes before his body was discovered by a member of the public who called police.
‘‘We believe the perpetrator or perpetrators for this killing have taken Derek’s car on Wednesday evening and returned it some time Thursday morning.’’
Police believed the car was driven to several homes in Aramoho before it was returned to Mr Round’s home, Mr Kirby said.
A team of up to 15 people searched parks and reserves near the Whanganui River yesterday looking for clothing linked to the crime scene that the killer is thought to have dumped.
Residents have been asked to check their front yards and bushes for the missing clothes, which in- clude a red long-sleeved jersey or sweatshirt, a black leather sleeveless vest, dark coloured stonewashed jeans, dark fingerless gloves, and a pair of dark coloured sports shoes with light markings around the soles and coloured laces.
Mr Kirby confirmed a forensic scene examination was also carried out at a home in Broughton St at the weekend, but he would not reveal why police believed it was linked to the killing.
‘‘We are making positive progress and we are confident we are going to catch the killer or killers.
‘‘This is a horrifying crime and the public will help us solve it.’’
Family spokesman Ian Templeton said yesterday that Mr Round’s family were struggling to come to terms with his death.
‘‘They are in deep shock. [It’s] a total out-of-the-blue event. It’s really hit them really hard,’’ Mr Templeton said.
‘‘It’s such a colossal event in the lives of the Round family. It’s really very disturbing for them.’’
Messages had flooded in from around the world from friends and colleagues left ‘‘very shocked’’ at news of the killing.
Mr Templeton,
a
political journalist, said he worked alongside Mr Round when he was a foreign correspondent.
‘‘He was a very top-class journalist. His byline was familiar to anyone who bought a newspaper.’’
Mr Round was a very knowledgeable, outgoing man with a great memory, he said.
‘‘Derek was a real gentleman. I can’t believe he’d have any conflict of that sort.’’
Mr Round had only just moved into the Campbell St flat where he lost his life.
A former neighbour said Mr Round, 77, left his previous residence because the avid reader didn’t have enough room for all the books he had accumulated over the years.
Jean Willis described Mr Round as a ‘‘gentleman, a nice man’’.
‘‘I spoke to him a few times. He enjoyed talking about his travels abroad. He invited myself and my husband for a meal. I think he just liked talking to people.’’