Defendant cries as he tells his family of sorrow over death

Police were at the Graham Place home of the victim yesterday finishing their scene examination. Photo / APN

The man charged with murdering Tauranga mother Sandra Brown and attempting to kill her daughter - his former fiancee - wept as he told his family of his remorse and sorrow over her death.

Tamati Mason, 41, is accused of murdering Sandra Brown, 59, and attempting to murder her daughter Kate Brown, 27.

The unemployed father of three was granted name suppression when he appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Monday. However, it lapsed at midday yesterday.

It is understood Mason had been out on the town on Saturday night after a farewell party for a workmate.

But details are scarce about what happened at the Browns' Graham Place home just after 5am on Sunday.

Police are refusing to comment. However, a source close to the Brown family said Mrs Brown had been trying to protect her daughter when she was killed.

A close family member, who did not want to be named, said Mason and Miss Brown had been engaged, but broke up over a year ago.

He did not know what their relationship had been like recently.

Mason was visited by members of his family before his court appearance on Monday.

"We only got five minutes with him ... Obviously he is sad, remorseful, but he didn't give us any reason why," the man said.

"He did something really stupid. He was injured; I asked him what was up with his bandaged arms.

"He reckoned he went to the house and broke something - a window or something - and he cut himself."

The man said his family wanted to reach out to Mrs Brown's husband Maxwell and son Dennis, but did not know how.

"We were going to go to the hospital and see them and Kate. But we had a family meeting and decided not to. We want to approach them but we don't know how to go about it.

"We understand they are going to be angry and hurt. We don't know how to apologise. We can never bring their mum back ... We feel so sorry for them.

"Kate's brother is just a young man and I know he is going to be angry. If he wants to approach me and let me have it, I understand."

Mason's sister said Mrs Brown was the "loveliest woman in the world".

She said Mason and Miss Brown had been in a relationship for three or four years and had not seen each other for a while.

The sister said that when she saw him in custody, he was pale and "vacant but awake".

"He couldn't really talk, he was just shocked and embarrassed," she said.

"We just feel for [the Brown] family at the moment. We've lost nothing compared to what she's lost. My brother's going to live, you know; he's the lucky one."

Despite Mason's break-up with Miss Brown, their families remained close. Mason's mother had remained good friends with Mrs Brown and spent last Christmas with the family. His sister described the Brown family as "beautiful people".

She said that while they were together, Miss Brown had been a stepmother to Mason's three daughters. They are said to be devastated by what has happened and are not coping well.

One of the girls was at Mason's house yesterday but would not open the door. "I've got no comment, thank you," she yelled.

Mason's male relative said the family would support him, but did not condone what he allegedly did.

"We all still love him. We were in court to support him. I read a report that we were cheering for him. I didn't like that. We were there to tell him that we loved him."

The Browns were not ready to speak about their loss yesterday and appealed through police for privacy.

Officers remained at the family home yesterday finishing their scene examination. A carpet cleaner was at the house and removed a large piece of carpet from inside.

Mason's car, which had been in the Browns' driveway since Sunday, was returned to his family yesterday after the interior was professionally cleaned.

Police searched the boot before a detective drove it to the home of Mason's eldest daughter and handed back the keys.

Yesterday, relatives were also helping Mason's two younger daughters to move out of his home.

"They are moving in with family," the male relative said. "They don't want to be in the house because of the bad vibes. They just want to have closure, so the family have decided to move them."

Meanwhile, a tribute has been set up for Mrs Brown at her workplace. She worked in the creche at the New World supermarket in Brookfield.

A table was set up with a condolences book, to be given to the Brown family, and flowers were piling up around it.

Mrs Brown's boss said she was a "nice, harmless lady" and her death was tragic.

"We all know her well. It's tragic and there's no words I can put around the feeling around the store at the moment, it's a very sombre place."

- additional reporting: APN