Scott Guy's family asks for privacy

Ewen and Anna MacDonald with their children Finn, Jack, Wade and Lucy. Photo / Supplied

The family of slain Manawatu farmer Scott Guy has requested privacy so they can get on with their lives after the shock arrest of his brother-in-law for his murder.

A team of five police divers have spent three days searching waterways on the Guy family farm where Mr Guy, 31, was gunned down in the driveway last July 8.

They were reported to be concentrating on an area about 100m from Mr Guy's house.

Police said they had been looking for any evidence relevant to the homicide investigation but would not reveal whether they had found anything as the case was now before the court. There were no further searches being carried out today.

On Thursday they arrested Mr Guy's brother-in-law, father-of-four Ewen MacDonald, 30, and charged him with murder.

MacDonald appeared in Palmerston North District Court on Friday and indicated he would defend the charge.

As well as the murder charge, he faces six others whose details have been suppressed.

Another Feilding man, a 21-year-old builder, has also been arrested and charged in relation arson and criminal damage charges at the farm prior to the killing.

He appeared in Queenstown District Court on Thursday and was granted name suppression and released on bail to reappear later this month.

A statement issued by police on behalf of the Guy family today requested they be given space, following intensive media coverage this week of MacDonald's arrest and court appearance.

"We have expressed our thoughts about this week's events. We now wish to have some privacy to get on with family life, to support one another and allow the legal process to take its course. We will therefore be making no further media comment for the foreseeable future."

MacDonald's father, Kerry, released a statement yesterday saying he and wife Marlene fully supported their son.

"As parents, when your child falls over, you pick them up, give them a cuddle and rub the pain away with love and kind words," he said.

"We want to do just that but can't in this instance, although we will always love him dearly and still feel as close to him as ever."

The MacDonald and Guy families were close, and Mr MacDonald said his heart went out to Mr Guy's widow, Kylee, who had given birth to the couple's second child since his death.

"Whilst Marlene and I have emotions of love, sorrow and guilt, our pain is eased by the help and support we are able to give and receive from both families," he said.

MacDonald and his wife, Mr Guy's sister, Anna, have four children aged between two and seven, and the MacDonalds pledged to support their daughter-in-law and grandchildren.

Meanwhile, another of Mr Guy's sisters, Palmerston North City councillor Nikki Guy will no longer seek the National Party nomination for the Rangitikei electorate.

She said she was too distressed to stand and wanted to help her family through the next few months instead.

- NZPA