Flower tributes are placed at the scene where a woman was stabbed to death on Westgate Drive, Massey. New Zealand Herald photograph by Dean Purcell
Flower tributes are placed at the scene where a woman was stabbed to death on Westgate Drive, Massey. New Zealand Herald photograph by Dean Purcell
Details are emerging of the estranged couple at the centre of a brutal fatal stabbing in West Auckland on Monday.
And while suppression orders prevent the Herald from publishing the identity of the woman allegedly stabbed to death by her ex-husband, a picture of their life together and when itsoured is building.
The woman died just after 8.30am on Monday.
It is alleged she was stabbed repeatedly by her ex-husband, who then fled the scene.
Eight minutes later, after he was stopped by a member of the public, he was taken into custody by police.
The Herald understands police are still working to notify some of her family of her death.
While specific details of their marriage, separation and lives cannot be published, the Herald can give basic insight into the former couple.
A source said they moved to New Zealand to forge a better life for their family.
However they separated in the early 2000s.
Before that they had lived together in a house in the wider West Auckland area but sold that at around the same time a source said they split.
The current owner of the house said she did not know the couple, but her real estate agent said at the time of sale that they were leaving Auckland or New Zealand.
The source said the man left Auckland for many years.
He kept in touch when he could but had not seen or had contact with the man for a long time.
He knew there had been significant issues in the relationship and the man "lost everything" when his marriage broke up.
It is thought the woman stayed in Auckland.
Her employer would not speak about the woman.
"Out of respect for the victim's family and the ongoing police investigation, we are unable to comment at this stage," said a spokeswoman for the organisation.
People who lived at the victim's house refused to speak to the Herald.
The man accused of murdering a woman in West Auckland on Monday appears in the Waitakere District Court. NZ Herald photo by Dean Purcell
A neighbour confirmed the victim lived at the property "for a while" and described her as "a nice lady" who would wave or say hello whenever the neighbour was out in the garden.
Other residents in the street found out about the connection between their neighbour and the alleged murder when police turned up in the street two hours later.
The accused's Facebook page does not show much insight into his life.
He has few online friends or activity and it's unclear how long he had been back in Auckland.
Police would not give a firm timeline of the alleged murder or what the victim or accused had been doing in the hours or minutes before.
A witness said he spotted the victim at a bus stop near where she was killed shortly before the stabbing.
He was eating his breakfast in his home and looked out to see a woman at the bus stop, pacing the footpath as if she was running late.
There was a look in her eyes that made him distinctly remember her. She was alone and looked "desperate'', he said.
"She kept looking up and down [the street].''
As she paced the footpath, on Westgate Drive in Massey, West Auckland, he got the impression she was running late or had missed her bus.
It was just after 8am and he guessed she was probably waiting for a bus due to stop there about 8.20am.
Soon after a construction worker heard a woman screaming and turned to see a man stabbing her multiple times.
He ran to help but the woman was dead by the time he got to her.
Another woman driving past the horrific scene also stopped, and tried to save the woman by giving CPR.
Tragically, her wounds proved immediately fatal.
Police were called at about 8.35am and were at the scene within minutes.
DO YOU NEED HELP?
If you're in danger now: • Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you. • Run outside and head for where there are other people. • Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you. • Take the children with you. • Don't stop to get anything else. • If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay
Where to go for help or more information: • Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633 www.2shine.org.nz • Women's Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 refuge or 0800 733 843 www.womensrefuge.org.nz • Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and middle eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584 • It's Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450 www.areyouok.org.nz
