David Bain Trial: Police describe death scene in bedrooms

David Bain in court. Pool photo

Police officers have described the scenes in the bedrooms of Margaret and Arawa Bain after they and three others in their family were found dead on June 20, 1994.

Margaret Bain, the mother of David Bain, was found by police lying on her back on her king-sized waterbed, with a bullet wound below her left eyebrow.

Mrs Bain was lying towards the left of the bed, covered by a duvet, with her left arm across her chest and her right arm under the duvet, Detective Jenepher Glover told the High Court in Christchurch this morning.

After Mrs Bain's body was removed from the bed, a blood stain was seen on a pillow at about neck level, and smears of blood on the bottom sheet where Mrs Bain's upper body would have been.

Detective Michael Bracegirdle said a .22 ammunition shell casing was found sitting amongst curtains on top of a set of drawers to the right of the bed.

Ms Glover described the room as cluttered, disordered, dirty and dusty. Mr Bracegirdle said there were "mountains" of linen, blankets and other household items in the room that left little room to move around the bedroom.

A glass of orange juice and a pair of woman's spectacles were near the bed.

In the downstairs bedroom of Arawa Bain, David Bain's younger sister, Arawa's body was found lying on the floor in the middle of the room. She had a bullet wound to the side of her forehead.

Trevor Thomson, then a detective constable, said he found a spent .22 shell in a cane basket in Arawa's room.

Another spent shell was found beside a pantry door, leading to a hallway near Arawa's bedroom, Mr Thomson said.

David Bain, 36, is accused of shooting dead his parents and three siblings, but his defence team say his father, Robin Bain, killed four members of his family before turning the rifle on himself.

The trial is in its third week, and expected to last at least three months.