St Johns Rd homicide: 16yo charged with murder, 32yo woman also arrested

• Charges have been laid after the death of Kyle Whorrall, a 33-year-old PhD student, who was attacked at an Auckland bus stop.
• His father says he was a kind soul with no enemies.
• About 100 people turned up to a vigil this morning at the St Johns Rd bus shelter.

A 16-year-old has been charged with the murder of an American student who was fatally attacked at an Auckland bus stop on St Johns Rd over the weekend.

The news came just before a tearful vigil started at the scene to pay tribute to the victim, Kyle Whorrall, 33.

Whorrall, who was studying entomology, was known for scouring the streets at night for insects and may have been doing so on Saturday night when he was attacked, friends have said.

Auckland University student Kyle Whorrall was attacked at a bus stop and died later in hospital.

Whorrall's flatmates speak at a vigil for him at the bus stop this morning. Photo / Dean Purcell

Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin said this morning police had executed a search warrant late yesterday afternoon at an address in Beach Haven, on Auckland’s North Shore.

“A 16-year-old male was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery and murder.”

He would be appearing in the Auckland Youth Court today.

A 32-year-old North Shore woman has also been charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder.

She would will be appearing in the Auckland District Court today.

Police had “obtained further information” about a black SUV that became the subject of a media appeal when Baldwin held a press conference about the case on Tuesday.

“The Operation Aberfeldy team commenced investigations into this vehicle of interest and its movements.

“I can confirm we have now located this vehicle on the North Shore, and it has been seized by police with a detailed forensic examination underway.”

Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin speaking to the media about the homicide investigation on Tuesday. Photo / Michael Craig.

Police launched a homicide investigation after the incident on St Johns Rd. Photo / Alex Burton.

Baldwin said police were aware there were other occupants in the vehicle at the time of the crime.

“This investigation is by no means over.

“Our enquiries are ongoing to locate these persons of interest, and I encourage them to do the right thing and come into their nearest Police station or phone us.”

He acknowledged the support of the community, and further afield.

“There has been a stream of information that has come into us, and we are working through this.

“We value and appreciate the community support.”

He said police were still working to fully understand the events of Saturday night.

Herald graphic on US student Kyle Whorrall's death.

They were still seeking information on a white Toyota ute, which had been cut off by the black SUV ahead of the fatal attack.

“I want to reiterate to those occupants that they are witnesses, and their information is important to our investigation,” Baldwin said.

“Please come forward at the earliest opportunity.”

Dad’s grief

Meanwhile Whorrall’s father told the Herald he was grappling with the violent attack on his son who had no enemies and was a “kind soul”.

“His personality was meek, mild, he wouldn’t have done anything to anyone, I am still trying to wrap my head around how any of this is possible,” said John Whorrall.

John Whorrall says his son Kyle was a 'kind soul'.

“He’s never had an enemy in his life.”

He said his son was a kind soul who had dreamed of moving to Auckland to study at the university his whole life.

“His mother took them there on vacation years and years ago, and he just fell in love with the place.”

• A GoFundMe has been set up to support Whorrall’s family. To donate please click here

John said he envisioned his son living happily in Auckland and fulfilling his lifelong dream for the rest of his life, eventually becoming a professor at the university.

Whorrall's father said his son was a passionate entomologist from a young age. Photo / John Whorrall

“I knew he was never going to come home, but I didn’t think it would be like this.”

He said his son was not the type “at all” to start a fight.

Meadowbank vigil ‘reclaims neighbourhood’

About 100 people gathered for a vigil for Whorrall at a St Johns Rd bus stop. Photo / Dean Purcell

About 100 people gathered at the scene of the crime this morning to farewell him and try and reclaim their neighbourhood.

Kyle’s flatmates, who described themselves as his “chosen family”, broke down as they tried to speak.

“He was gentle, he was kind he was very thoughtful,” one of the five flatmates said.

They loved how he would “geek out” over the “weirdest things” that he would love.

They said he was passionate, about more than just bugs.

He loved sewing and his stuffed animals and was a fantastic friend. He was a master board game player and was very social despite his shy nature.

People gathered at the vigil for Whorrall. Photo / Dean Purcell

About 100 people gathered for a vigil for Whorrall this morning. Photo / Dean Purcell

“He cared so deeply about what he did… the sweetest person.”

The person holding the ceremony, from the St John’s Theological College, shared messages from Whorrall’s family overseas and the community.

“His life was taken in a foreign land. This tragedy has affected us all very deeply. So today we gather here to show our aroha for his family, his friends and colleagues.

“We gather in solidarity, in love and in pain. We will not fully understand how hard and how painful this must be [for his family].

The vigil was held where he was fatally attacked. Photo / Dean Purcell

“No matter how long we have been here… our neighbourhood has been a peaceful and lovely place to live."

A friend said he was quiet and shy, but the group gathered was a “true testament” of her character.

The college yesterday said the vigil would be be an opportunity to “reflect, pray for Kyle’s whānau and to stand together for peace, healing and aroha in our neighbourhood”.

John Whorrall said he expected his son to become a professor. Photo / John Whorrall

The college added that it wanted to “reclaim the neighbourhood with life, warmth and care”.

The attack on Whorrall, who was sitting at the bus stop at around 10pm, has unnerved people who lived nearby.

“It is just the senselessness and randomness of it,” said Mike Maloney, a resident who lives 150m from the bus stop.

Floral tributes were left at the St Johns Rd bus stop.

Footage from an Auckland Transport bus captured images of Whorrall at the bus stop, the black SUV and a white ute, just before the attack took place.

The bus shelter has been turned into a makeshift memorial for Whorrall, filled with flowers and lights.

On Wednesday, mourners gathered at the shelter, some hugging and crying.

Police yesterday were knocking on doors, returning to the crime scene, and seeking CCTV or dashcam footage from motorists who may have been passing through on Saturday night.

Baldwin said earlier this week that police were also committing significant resources to finding two suspects involved in the attack, who fled the scene in a black SUV.

Whorrall, 33, was known for his love of bugs.

Whorrall moved to New Zealand from the United States in 2021 to study for a PhD.

Based at Landcare Research, he had nearly completed his degree.

Fellow students and academics spoke about his enthusiasm for entomology. He had shown a particular interest in beetles.

• Anyone with information is being asked to contact police online or call 105 using the reference number 250419/9858.

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

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