Mark Lundy retrial: Officer tells court of Lundy slides

Ross Grantham.

Inspector says he flew to Texas to test evidence he was told should stay a mystery

The officer in charge of the Lundy double-murder investigation has told a court of flying to the United States to test evidence he was told should "remain a mystery".

The evidence came towards the end of the fourth week of Mark Lundy's trial before Justice Simon France in the High Court at Wellington. Lundy, 56, has denied charges of murdering his wife Christine, 38, and daughter Amber, 7, whose bodies were discovered in their Palmerston North home on August 30, 2000.

Inspector Ross Grantham told the court he had secured samples of evidence in his safe at the Palmerston North police station before taking them to Texas.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Ross Burns, he admitted that was not the normal way evidence would be stored, but there was no "impropriety" with the exhibits.

The samples included slides with evidence from Lundy's polo shirt, which the Crown says has his wife's brain tissue smeared on it, as well as the shirt itself.

On January 9, Mr Grantham met neuropathologist Dr Heng Teoh, who had looked at one of the slides.

"Dr Teoh said a man could not be convicted on the strength of one glass slide - they were too degenerative and should remain a mystery," Mr Grantham said. About a month later he took the items to Dallas, Texas, for testing by pathologist Rodney Miller.

Mr Burns also asked Mr Grantham about evidence at the time from pathologist James Pang, who believed Mrs Lundy and her daughter died about 7pm on August 29 based on their stomach contents from their dinner.

The Crown case now is that they died six hours later.

Mr Grantham said the pathologist's information did not make up the sole focus of the investigation.

He was also asked about events recorded by residents of nearby properties and streets on the evening of August 29, including a dog that was "nutting off", but Mr Grantham could not remember those reports.

Police photographer Sergeant Robin Walker told the court he took numerous photographs of the crime scene wearing protective clothing including overalls, gloves and booties.

He denied leaving the clothes near the door to the Lundys' home when he shed them.

A United States animal genetics expert, forensic scientist Elizabeth Wictum, said there was evidence of human DNA on Lundy's stained shirt.

She also found "barely detectable" DNA from pork and beef on both samples and sheep on one. The trial continues on Monday.

Key evidence

• The officer in charge of the case collected evidence and held it in his safe at the Palmerston North police station

• He travelled with the slides to Texas for tests to be conducted by a pathologist despite being told they had degenerated

• Evidence from a doctor suggesting the time of deaths was 7pm was not a sole focus of the investigation

• A number of events were reported in the area the night before the bodies were found

• Evidence of human DNA was confirmed to be on the marks

• Barely detectable animal DNA was also found on the top