Bernie Peri, NZ-born Elvis impersonater killed in New South Wales. Photo / Royal Hotel Parkes
Bernie Peri, NZ-born Elvis impersonater killed in New South Wales. Photo / Royal Hotel Parkes
A regional NSW town has been devastated by the alleged murder of a beloved Kiwi Elvis impersonator.
Bernie Peri, 75, was found dead in his Parkes home on Sunday afternoon.
On Tuesday evening, police arrested Marshall Karaitiana, 28, in Tullamore, about 100km northwest of Parkes, and charged him with murder.
Peri was a staple of the central-west NSW town’s annual Elvis Festival since its inception in 1993, with Parkes Shire councillor Ken McGrath describing locals as devastated by his death.
“He came to the festival and we just got on like a house on fire, he made such a big contribution,” he told AAP.
“He’d get on with anyone ... if you asked him to do anything for you, he’d do it.”
Representatives of the Royal Hotel, which Peri frequented, were too upset to offer comment when asked on Wednesday afternoon.
On its Facebook page, pub management described him as a “beloved friend”.
“In memoriam to one of our beloved patrons and entertainers Bernie Peri ... we hope to see you here to celebrate his life and share some stories among his family and friends,” the pub post said.
Karaitiana faced Lake Cargelligo Local Court on Wednesday to answer his single charge of murder.
He did not apply for bail and it was formally refused.
Parkes’ annual festival, which coincides with the king of rock’n’roll’s birthday, typically attracts about 25,000 people to the farming town and brings in around $13 million.
It was founded to draw visitors during the traditionally quiet summer period.
Australian media outlets identified Karaitiana as a fellow musician who went by the stage name Mellow Marsh, noting that he regularly appeared playing country music on his mother’s Facebook page, Keeping Up with the Karaitianas, which has now been deactivated.
Karaitiana hit the headlines across the ditch in 2018, when he cheated death in a fall from a balcony, and was aided in his recovery by a donation from a friend and reality TV star.
Love Island winner Grant Crapp shared half of his winnings with Karaitiana, who he identified as his childhood best friend, the Daily Telegraph reported.
“He’s just come out of life support so I want to give half of my money to his family because they’re struggling a little bit and I want to see him recover 100 per cent,” Crapp said at the time.
Marshall Karaitiana, country singer who performed as Mellow Marsh.
Daily Mail Australia quoted a source saying that Karaitiana suffered ongoing ill health from his injuries.
The Mail also noted the Kiwi connection between the pair, reporting that Peri was originally from Kaitāia and Karaitiana’s mother is from New Zealand, also describing his father as “half-Māori half-Australian”.
On moving to Parkes, Karaitiana shared on his Facebook page he was “Parkes bound, where Elvis Presley once called home. Nothing studio-worthy to release as of yet. Sorry fans.”
He added: “Music sits heavy in my heart as always, if anyone wants to put on a show give me a holla.”
