Sense of ‘relief and justice’ for family
After nearly 34 years, the family of murdered Red Fox Tavern publican finally have some closure as the two men responsible were jailed for life.
Yesterday, Mark Joseph Hoggart and an unnamed defendant were sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of murdering Chris Bush in October 1987.
After the sentencing, the Bush family, in a statement through police, said they were thankful those responsible for the killing had ‘‘finally been held to account’’.
‘‘Having some closure after all these years brings about a sense of relief and justice for the family, and it is now time to move forward and put this painful chapter behind us,’’ widow Gaye Bush said.
In her victim impact statement, Gaye said she had her whole life to look forward to with her husband, before it was all taken away, and the once close family have now become estranged.
The family said they wished to acknowledge their friends, current and former police staff that worked on the investigation and the Manukau Crown Solicitors office for their dedication and compassion shown to the family through what has been an extremely difficult 34 years.
After the fatal shooting, Gaye Bush vowed to restore a happy atmosphere at the tavern.
‘‘It is very important to me that the tavern gets right back to the way Chris wanted,’’ she told the Sunday News three weeks after he died. There are not many bars where you could take your wife and have a really pleasant night out, but that’s how it was and I’m sure it will be the same again soon.’’
Five years later, she told the newspaper she’d not given up hope of finding her husband’s killers.
‘‘I’ve not given up – there’s always that hope,’’ Bush said.
‘‘You are not living day to day for a phone call . . . but I definitely still hope they will be caught.’’
While she didn’t attend the sentencing yesterday, Gaye faced her husband’s killers on the first day of his trial. After the sentencing, Detective Senior Sergeant Michael Hayward told Stuff, he was approached by Detective Inspector Gary Lendrum ahead of the 30-year anniversary of Bush’s death saying they were going to reinvestigate the file.
Lendrum, who died in late 2020, was the officer in charge of the scene back in 1987.
‘‘He was a great friend and mentor and it was through his leadership and direction that this case was reinvestigated and the results achieved today are purely down to him,’’ Hayward said.
Hayward acknowledged the patience of the Bush family, saying no family should have to endure a 33-year wait for justice. ‘‘The result today for them is immense.’’ He said it was extremely traumatic for the bar staff involved, aggravated robberies and murders didn’t happen in the small town of Maramarua.
‘‘The Maramarua community have sadly been identified . . . as a result of what happened, so for them also to have closure on what happened, and it’s no longer a town of an unsolved homicide is great for the community.’’
Detective Senior Sergeant Albie Alexander said the sentencing concluded a 34-year-old case which was never far from the mind of the Bush family or police. Alexander said the file was reopened in 2016 following new information coming to the police’s attention.
‘‘The investigators worked tirelessly on this historical case, ultimately leading to the arrest and charging of two individuals in 2017. I would also like to acknowledge the sound and solid foundations set for the team by previous police staff in both previous investigations in 1987/88 and 1999/2000,’’ Alexander said.
The detective said the trial and outcome was testament to the professionalism and strength of not only the Bush family, but witnesses, investigators and the Manukau Crown solicitors’ staff that successfully prosecuted the matter.