Hunt for pensioners’ killer continues

Police will work through Queen's Birthday Weekend in Feilding as they try to find who killed two elderly people in the town nearly a week ago.

The bodies of Ted Ferguson, 73, and his friend Margaret Waldin, 76, were found with stab wounds in Mr Ferguson's pensioner flat on Sunday morning. The pair had last been seen on Friday night at a tavern in the Manawatu town.

Inspector Dave White said today's priority was talking to people who had been in the Manchester Tavern and the surrounding area of Feilding last Friday.

"The team's keeping an open mind as to who (did it) but we're hopeful if we can identify everyone who was in the area we can get a picture of the movements of the two victims for a start, and out of that we're hopeful that we'll be able to identify the offender.

"Those people in the hotel seem to be the last people to see the victims alive so it's important that we tie down their movements."

The last people known to have seen Margaret Waldin alive say she and Ted Ferguson returned to the flat where they were killed much earlier than previously thought.

Ken Heap and Mr Ferguson's step-daugther Rose Blake were drinking with Mrs Waldin at the Manchester Tavern on Friday.

They say Mr Ferguson left the bar between 8 and 8.30pm, followed 10 minutes later by Mrs Waldin.

Patrons earlier said they thought Mr Ferguson had left at about midnight, but that Mrs Waldin had left before that.

Ms Blake and Mr Heap left in time to see Mrs Waldin cross Manchester Street at the Drover's Return bar and turn into Bowen Street.

Ms Blake said she saw Mrs Waldin turn into the driveway of the Rangimarie Flats.

She said Mrs Waldin must have left between 8.10 and 8.40 that night, as she and Mr Heap were home by 8.45.

Mr White said police and forensic staff would continue the investigation through the long weekend. "There will be some staff who have some time off, perhaps a day, but in general the inquiry will continue full steam ahead."

A number of people will have seen the 76-year-old, as she passed a pair of bouncers at the Drover's Return and a group of youths outside a hairdresser's on Bowen Street.

She also passed a number of security cameras on Manchester Street.

Officer in charge of Operation Rain, Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan, said police were aware of this potential evidence.

"We will be going to all of them (businesses with surveillance). Looking through them is a big job."

Mrs Waldin's funeral is to be held tomorrow at 11am at St Brigid's in Feilding, while Mr Ferguson's will be on Tuesday at St Patrick's in the town at 1pm.

Mr White said police would be attending both as a mark of respect.

The Wellington police dive team yesterday scoured the Makino Stream near Mr Ferguson's flat and specialist squads searched rooftops but Mr White said they had not found a weapon.

The banks of the stream are still being searched for a weapon but the dive team has now returned to Wellington.

Rangimarie Flats resident May MacDonald, 81, said police had taken footwear from all the men in the council complex for DNA testing, but not the women's footwear.

Mr White said police were working through a huge volume of information.

Rumours of a pokies win and money being withdrawn for a holiday would be dealt with as part of the investigation.

Ms Blake yesterday discounted Mr Ferguson's holiday money as a motive for the killing, saying only she and Mr Ferguson, her step-father, knew of the plan.

"Dad and I planned on going away ... to Wanganui for a while."

Ms Blake has friends in Wanganui. She said Mrs Waldin was "probably" coming as well, but as far as she was aware, the plan had not been discussed with her.

People with information on the killings should contact Operation Rain on 0800 OP RAIN (0800-677246).

- nzpa