52-year-old Feilding man charged with double murder

Ted Ferguson and Margaret Waldin

A 52-year-old local man has been arrested and charged with the murders of Feilding pensioner couple Margaret Waldin and Ted Ferguson.

The man will appear in Palmerston North District Court tomorrow morning.

Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan said he was unable to provide any further details about the man who had been arrested, nor the circumstances of the crime, as the case was now before the court and was sub judice.

The arrest comes 17 days into the investigation of the brutal slayings, which caused widespread shock and fear among residents in the close-knit Manawatu community.

Mr Ferguson, 73, and Mrs Waldin, 76, were found stabbed to death in Mr Ferguson's Bowen St, Feilding, flat on the morning of Sunday, May 29

The pair was last seen alive at the Manchester Tavern in Feilding two days earlier.

Mr Sheridan said the investigation was still ongoing and "may continue for some time".

A team of 29 police investigators, along with ESR scientists, a forensic pathologist, search teams, Feilding police staff and a team of non-sworn police personnel had been working on the investigation.

"An address associated with the arrested man is currently undergoing examination by police investigators and ESR scientists.

"This process could also take some days," he said.

Around 25 recruits from the Royal New Zealand Police College today started a search at the Feilding tip for items associated with the murders.

"This afternoon I met with both Margaret and Ted's families and advised them of the arrest," Mr Sheridan said.

"The families are well aware that the police investigation is not finished and our enquiries will be ongoing." 


The killing followed the January slaying of pensioner Mona Morriss, 83, in Marton, 25km away.


Speaking earlier in the investigation, Mr Sheridan said there was no evidence linking the crimes at present, but the two investigation teams had been discussing any possible similarities.


The Morriss inquiry continues with no arrests for her murder.


The killings of the well-known Feilding couple ignited strong feeling in the town, which is home to many of their family members.


Feilding police were forced to caution people against vigilante action after a friend of the dead couple told a Sunday newspaper he "knew where the killers lived", kept two rifles and would be visiting a certain house to confront the occupants.


Rumours had been rife in the town in the past few weeks that the pair had had had a big win on the pokies on the Friday night.


Police said it was one suggestion among many received from the public that would be carefully investigated.


However, a friend of the two, John Rossiter, raised doubts about the rumour, saying Mr Ferguson did not bet or play pokies.


Police also checked bank account records after it was reported the couple was planning a holiday and had withdrawn a large sum of money.


Inspector Dave White, of police central district headquarters, said at the time that police were checking the pair's bank and Eftpos transactions to build a picture of the days before their deaths.


The dead man's children described him as a loving father, grandfather and great grandfather.


Ian Ferguson, said his father had been a kind and caring person.


"For someone to turn around and do this to him...it's unbelievable," he said.


"For somebody to hurt dad like this is unacceptable."


His sister, Maree Ferguson, said her opinion of "Friendly Feilding" had not changed, despite the killing.


"There are a lot of people here that will be there for us," she said.


Mr Ferguson's stepdaughter, Rose Blake, said he and Mrs Waldin, who lived in a flat 2km away, had been great friends.


"They have been great companions since mum passed away almost five years ago. They were always together."


Mrs Waldin, whose husband Ken also died about five years ago, was expecting a great grandchild in the next month.


Originally from the Ballycastle area of County Antrim in Northern Ireland, she had lived in New Zealand for decades and was a well-known figure at St Patrick's Day celebrations.

- NZPA