Killer escaped in blond wig: Crown

By ALISON HORWOOD

Prosecutors say Mark Lundy killed his wife and 7-year-old daughter with a tomahawk, then put on a long blond curly wig and left the house disguised as a female jogger.

After the murders of Christine Lundy, aged 38, and the girl, Amber, Lundy tried to make it appear that someone had broken into their Palmerston North home, according to depositions to the Palmerston North District Court yesterday.

About the time of the deaths, a resident near the Lundy home on Karamea Cres saw what she believed was a large woman jogging.

"But on closer look she realises it is a large man in tracksuit pants and a tracksuit top running," Crown Solicitor Ben Vanderkolk told the court. "She then saw what appeared to be a blond curly wig hanging over his eyes, if not slipping down over his face."

The person was wearing dress shoes and was heading towards a dark blue car.

The Crown says Lundy drove his dark blue Ford Fairmont to a Petone motel and that night arranged a one-hour "meeting" in his room.

A document relating to the nearby Quarry Inn massage parlour has been presented as an exhibit.

The evidence was presented on the opening day of a hearing to determine whether Lundy, a former kitchen sink salesman, will go to trial for the murders of his wife and only child on August 29 last year.

Many of the exhibits relate to the Lundys' business dealings and personal affairs, including upgrades on life insurance, applications for a $1 million policy on the lives of Mr and Mrs Lundy, and a claim with Tower Health.

Mr Vanderkolk told the court that on the night of their deaths, Mrs Lundy and Amber bought $18.60 worth of food from McDonald's about 5.45 pm. They died between 7.10 and 7.15 pm.

Mrs Lundy was killed as she lay naked on her back on the couple's bed. Palmerston North Hospital pathologist Dr James Shing Hung Pang told the court she had been struck at least nine or 10 times in the head with a tomahawk, mostly on the forehead and face. One wound was 8cm deep.

She suffered bruising, incisions and fractures to her forearms and hands as she tried to defend herself.

"An early and realistic conclusion reached was that Amber Lundy had entered her mother's bedroom, saw what was happening to her mother, turned to leave the bedroom and, as a witness to her mother's murder, was caught and killed by the attacker," said Mr Vanderkolk.

Amber was face-down in the doorway in her nightie.

She had at least seven wounds said to be caused by the same weapon.

Mrs Lundy's brother, James Glenn Weggery, found the bodies about 9 the following morning.

He said he found Amber with her feet in the master bedroom and body in the hallway.

"I could see blood on the head and on the wall."

He told the court that after phoning 111 he found his sister with "her head split open."

Later that morning, when police and ambulance staff, a friend of Mrs Lundy and Mr Weggery were still at the house, the phone rang and it was Lundy.

"A police officer told Mark that we were busy and they would call him back later," said Mr Weggery.

Mr Vanderkolk said police later found a broken latch on a conservatory window frame at the back of the house, consistent with the window's having been wrenched open.

"This could only have occurred after the murders because the blood smear was the blood of Christine Lundy and the smear pattern appeared to have been applied with a gloved hand."

Lundy told police he last saw his wife and daughter alive on the morning of August 29, when he left for Wellington on business.

He checked into his regular motel in Petone about 5 pm, bought some food and talked to Mrs Lundy and Amber on the phone about 5.30 pm.

Lundy told police that between then and a call at 8.30 pm, he watched television and spent some time in his car reading on the Petone foreshore.

Several details relating to his dark blue Ford Fairmont and its contents have been suppressed.

After the murders, Lundy told police of a missing jewellery box, which has never been found.

Without prompting, he noticed that the broken latch on the window had been replaced, Mr Vanderkolk told the court.

Lundy also told police a computer expert should be able to testify that a computer inside the house was turned off at 10.51 pm, when he could account for his time in Petone.

"To that extent, he has a sound alibi if the killings occurred after 10.51 pm," said Mr Vanderkolk.

"But it is alleged they did not."

The murder weapon has not been found, but Mr Vanderkolk said it left orange and blue paint in the hair of both bodies which was similar to the paint marking the tools Lundy kept in his garage.

The defence case is yet to be heard.