Mark Lundy retrial: Anguished cries over photos

Mark Lundy in the dock. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Key evidence:
• Mark Lundy became upset and angry when confronted with photos of his dead wife and daughter
• He could not explain why paint chips that matched some of his tools that were kept in a locked shed were found near his daughter
• Lundy denied driving from Petone, where he was staying on August 29, 2000 to Palmerston North
• Blood was seen on a towel in Christine Lundy's brother's home the day she and her daughter were found dead
• There was never any evidence against an initial suspect in the case with mental health problems regarding the murders

The prosecution's case in the Lundy double-murder jury trial finished today with footage of the accused reacting to images of his dead family and the accusation that he was their killer.

More than 120 prosecution witnesses have given evidence in the trial in front of Justice Simon France, which is in its seventh week.

The defence, which has had about half a dozen witnesses peppered throughout the trial due to scheduling restrictions, will continue with its case tomorrow.

Mark Lundy is fighting charges he killed his 38-year-old wife Christine and 7-year-old daughter Amber with a tomahawk-like weapon in the early hours of August 30, 2000.

Today, the jury of five women and seven men were shown a tape where Lundy was formally interviewed by Detective Inspector Stephen Kelly, which took place about six months after the murders.

They saw the raw emotion of Lundy as he was shown pictures of his dead wife and daughter.

He let out anguished cries as he saw their bodies, sobbed and told Mr Kelly he had ruined his life.

"God I hate you now, I really do," he told the officer.

Earlier in the interview, Mr Kelly also told Lundy there was a period of time unaccounted while he was staying in Petone, and unaccounted for petrol that equalled a return trip to Palmerston North.

"Do you think I killed them?" Lundy asked.

"Yes, I do at the moment," Mr Kelly replied. He then asked Lundy how he felt about that.

"Bloody terrible. I'm lost for words -- that has got to be the most heinous thought that I can think."

He could not explain why paint chips matching some of his tools, that were in a locked garage, were found near his daughter's head.

Lundy was asked whether he drove back to Palmerston North from Petone.

"I definitely did not return to Palmerston," he said.

The court also heard from Glenn Weggery's former flatmate who saw blood on a towel in his bathroom on the day he found his sister and niece dead in their home.

Joanne Ridley said on the morning the bodies were found she saw a small amount of blood on a towel in the bathroom that looked like it had been smeared on after someone had not washed there hands properly.

"It wasn't really concerning to me, it was a fleeting thought."

The last prosecution witness, Detective Senior Sergeant Warren Olsson was asked about one of the 82 initial suspects in the case - a man, with name suppression, who had worked with Mrs Lundy and suffered mental health problems.

He said the man's parents had vouched that he was in their home that night and was on anti-psychotic medication that had a sedative effect.

There was also a suggestion earlier in the trial the man had stalked a co-worker of Mrs Lundy's, but Mr Olsson said when they had contacted the woman, she said the man had never stalked her.

"There was no evidence whatsoever to suggest the man had anything to do with the murders," he said.

The trial continues.