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The Lundy Murders
Christine Marie Lundy, aged 38, was a devoted mother who was involved in many community activities such as Girl Guides and was well known within her community. Amber Grace Lundy, only 7 years old, was an outgoing and bright only child. Those that have spoken of Amber speak of strong willed child, a natural leader and a delight to teach.
As they walked home together after school on Tuesday 29th August 2000, neither they nor those that saw them had any idea of the horror that would meet them before the night was through.
By 9.30am Wednesday morning, 30th August 2000, several people became concerned after ringing the Lundy house and getting no response. One of those worried was Christine Lundy’s brother, James Glenn Weggery , who called in at the Karamea Crescent residence. After getting no response at the door, he broke into the house and called out ‘Hello”. As he walked up the hall he saw Amber lying bloodied in the doorway. James called emergency services and only when he checked Amber’s pulse did he notice his sister laying face up on the bed, saturated in her only blood.
The scene he encountered upon entering the house would have been horrific. The massacred bodies of his sister and niece lay before him. A tomahawk-like weapon had been used to kill the pair, leaving facial and head injuries on both victims. Blood had been splattered up the walls and floor. No doubt in shock, he staggered outside to wait for help to arrive. Before long a double homicide case was launched involving 33 policemen.
Mark Lundy, Salesman, the 43-year-old father and husband to the deceased, was apparently away on business that fateful night. He had contacted his brother in law and asked him to call at the Lundy residence after being unable to reach his family on the phone. By the time he returned to his home the police had cordoned it off and the bodies of his wife and child lay inside.
On the 7th September 2000, following the release of the bodies from autopsy, a funeral was held at St Peters Anglican Church. The nation watched in sympathy as televised footage of the funeral showed Mark Lundy collapsing from grief during his departure from the church. Just under six months later he was arrested and charged under suspicion of the murder of his wife and daughter. By April 2002 he was found guilty of the double murder of Christine and Amber Lundy.
Evidence from the trail indicates that, Mark Lundy was away on business that day. Booking into his motel on the Petone Foreshore, he even spoke to his daughter and wife on the phone at around 5.30pm that evening. Following this he drove at high speed to his home in Palmerston North. Locating his wife in the bedroom, he brutally murdered her before turning on his daughter, who had witnessed the event and was trying to escape out the doorway. His work complete he returned to his car and sped back to Petone. By 11.30pm, as his wife and daughter lay where they had fallen, he had called an escort agency and was waiting to spend his night with a $140 prostitute.
In the days that followed the police in charge of the case seized Lundy’s car. This led to the discovery of one of the most vital pieces of evidence. In the back of the car was a polo shirt belonging to Lundy. Further forensic examination found it to be smeared with tissue from either Christine Lundy’s brain or spinal cord. Lundy was arrest and remanded in custody without bail.
During the trail Lundy spent 2 hours being cross examined, during which time he changed several pervious accounts of events and even disputed evidence given by his own brother. The jury returned a guilty verdict and Mark Lundy was sentenced to 17-year minimum non-parole period from the murder of his wife Christine Lundy and his daughter Amber Lundy. Neither the Lundy side nor the Crown was satisfied with the outcome and both have entered appeals. The Crown was looking for a longer non parole period of 23 years and Mark Lundy’s lawyer Mike Behrens maintains that that ‘the verdict is against the weight of evidence”. No appeal dates have been set.
UPDATE (31.7.02)
A new witness has come forth to say that he saw a man, who he identifies, as Mark Lundy sitting on the foreshore in Petone reading a book at and after dusk on the night that he was meant to be murdering his wife and child.
David Stanley who works at the Petone Working’s Men’s Club was questioned in regards to the amount of time he has taken to come forward. He replied that he was not a big television watcher and had only seen a “couple of clips” of Mr Lundy from newspapers.
It wasn’t until later when he saw footage of Lundy on the television and mentioned to a work colleague that he had seen the man reading in his car. His colleague urged Mr Stanley to contact authorities. Although he didn’t come forward to anyone directly, he was contacted by an investigating solicitor.
The Lundy lawyers will be using this latest admission along with other submissions to aide Mr Lundy’s appeal.
UPDATE (13.8.02)
Although not in court to witness the verdict in person, Mark Lundy today lost his appeal in the Court of Appeal. The court did not accept that the weight of evidence went against a guilty verdict.
The Crown’s application to increase Lundy’s non-parole jail term by 3 years was accepted and therefore Mark Lundy now has a 20-year non-parole jail term to serve.
A number of people have doubts about the conviction of Mark Lundy for the murder of his wife Christine and daughter Amber. As a result a committee has been formed called FACTUAL, which stands for 'For Amber & Christine - Truth Uncovered About Lundys'.
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As Christine and Amber Lundy walked home after school on Tuesday 29th August 2000, neither they nor those that saw them had any idea of the horror that would meet them before the night was through. |
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