Pahīatua homicide: Police continue hunt for Jeremy Robertson six weeks after mother’s death

Police are searching for Jeremy Robertson, wanted in connection with the death of his mother, Karen Gilbert-Palmer. Photo / NZME

By Sam Sherwood of RNZ

Six weeks after a woman was killed in Pahīatua, police are continuing to search for her son, who is wanted in connection with her death.

Karen Gilbert-Palmer, 74, was found dead at a home in Arthur Street on October 15 by a friend who had been unable to contact her.

A homicide investigation then began and her son Jeremy Robertson was identified by police as a suspect.

Gilbert-Palmer’s car was found at the Blue and Green Lakes lookout in Rotorua the following morning. However, six weeks on, Robertson remains missing.

On Wednesday, Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Thompson told RNZ police believe Robertson is likely still in that area.

“We have been making a lot of inquiries to locate Jeremy and we are planning further police activity in that area in the coming weeks.

“I want to thank the members of the public who came forward with information in the early days of the investigation, including the call that led us to the car within hours of it being parked up.”

Thompson said work to find Robertson had not stopped.

“Our focus remains on seeing justice served for Mrs Gilbert-Palmer and finding Jeremy is key to that.”

RNZ earlier revealed Robertson, who is believed to have had a history with mental health services, was planning to leave the home on the day she died and take a bus to Rotorua.

Jeremy Robertson had been driving a red Mitsubishi ASX, registration QGU91, police said. Photo / New Zealand Police

Gilbert-Palmer’s niece, Barbara Evans, earlier told RNZ her aunt, who she called Narnie, would regularly message her talking about her son and his mental health.

Evans, who was adopted at birth, reconnected with Gilbert-Palmer and her grandparents about 30 years ago.

Evans said it appeared Robertson’s behaviour was “escalating” in the weeks before Gilbert-Palmer’s death.

Evans shared a series of messages she exchanged with Gilbert-Palmer.

On October 8, a week before she died, Gilbert-Palmer messaged Evans and said “I tell u wat [sic], he was better when he was on the drugs and vape, more chilled out. More aggressive now”.

She said her son was “dead against drugs now”.

The following day, Gilbert-Palmer said her son “has been nice for one day, now back to wat [sic] he was”.

In another message, she wrote Robertson “can be so nasty at times”.

Gilbert-Palmer said she wished her niece didn’t live so far away so she could go to spend a few days with her.

Later that evening, she messaged that he had “settled down”.

Then, on October 12, Gilbert-Palmer told Evans that her son was going to Rotorua by bus on October 15.

“He decided on hus [sic] own, to [sic] much stuff going on down here, having a go at people verbally.”

Gibert-Palmer said she would “fill in” her niece once Robertson was gone. It was the last time Evans heard from her.

In September, Gilbert-Palmer told her niece he was back home living with her as there was “nowhere for him to go”.

He’d previously stayed in Feilding but was “rude” to people there and “out does [sic] his stay”, she said.

Evans said she was “absolutely devastated” when she heard her aunty was dead.

“I was going down on the Monday after he’d left. I was intending to go down and spend some time with her.”

She wanted to know what involvement mental health services had with Robertson.

Police say anyone who sees Robertson should not approach him and should call 111 immediately and advise police.

Non-urgent information can be passed to police via their 105 number, quoting file number 251015/6286.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

– RNZ