KEY POINTS:
A New Zealand woman murdered in the United States had told friends she was planning to return home.
Michelle Drone (nee Jack), 39, was found dead in her home in Lemoore, California, on Monday, with her boyfriend Barney Harrell, 38. Both had been shot in the head. Lemoore
police are treating it as either a double homicide or murder suicide.
Friends of Harrell's have said the American - who had moved in with Drone only a few months earlier - phoned people the day before the deaths, saying he was depressed, increasing the likelihood it was a murder suicide.
Police are working through evidence and expect results in the next six to eight weeks.
Drone's two young children are believed to be staying with their father, from whom Drone split last year, and will remain in America.
Drone's mother, Lynne King, left for Lemoore last week when she heard of her daughter's death. She told The Press Drone's daughters were traumatised by the death.
"We came for them ... Absolutely shattered they are living a bad dream," she said.
King has been organising her daughter's funeral and hoped to have her body released overnight.
"We have had so much to do. We're taking it just one step at a time. I don't even know how I'm feeling. It's not real yet. I'm numb."
Neighbours of the couple in the United States said they were an ordinary couple and their deaths came as a huge shock to the normally peaceful neighbourhood.
Drone grew up in Westport going to Westport North School and Buller High. She worked in the New Zealand Air Force for four years before moving to the United States 17 years ago.
She worked at Navy Exchange stores and managed Fastrip stores before beginning a job at Starbucks. She later returned to Fastrip.
Staff at Fastrip called police when she failed to show up for work. They described her as one of the best managers they had ever had.
Drone was well-known in Lemoore, organising a Relay for Life - a 24-hour race to raise money for the American Cancer Foundation.
The race was scheduled for this weekend and a group called Michelle's Team has been organised to participate.
Drone came back to New Zealand last year and told friends she wanted to move back home.
On her Oldfriends website, she said she hoped to return to New Zealand as a Starbucks district manager.
Christine Morgan told The Press she had seen Drone in Westport last year.
"We are devastated. We are just in complete and utter shock. It's just so senseless," Morgan said. She said Drone was a "strong woman" who was "always happy", but "knew what she wanted. ... And she'd do anything for her girls."