They have the right man, pensioners' killer admits

David Konia

Convicted double murderer David Konia yesterday admitted stabbing two Feilding pensioners to death.

He told his lawyer before he was jailed for life in the High Court at Palmerston North that he had killed the pensioners and that authorities "had the right man".

Konia, 53, was convicted last month of the murders of friends Margaret Waldin, 76, and Ted Ferguson, 73, in the latter's flat in Feilding on May 28, 2005.

Konia was told by Justice Ronald Young he would have to serve 20 years before he could apply for parole.

As Konia was led to the cells he turned and looked back into the court room.

Keith Waldin, the dead woman's son, said the length of the non-parole period surprised him.

"I'm taken aback - 20 years is a long time for a guy of his age. Before he's even allowed to apply for parole he'll be 73 years old."

Mr Fergus Steedman, Konia's lawyer, told the court that Konia was unable to relate to life in the wider community and had never been able to develop intimate friendships.

The man had a problem accepting his schizophrenia and had not been taking his medication before the killings.

He was a compulsive traveller and moved daily, Mr Steedman said.

At the depositions hearing and the long trial Konia was described by some witnesses as "gentle, pleasant, quiet, shy, nice, quietly spoken" but simple.

Mr Steedman said Konia had told him before court that he did not want to remember the events.

"He has dissociated himself from the reality of what he did."

During the trial the Crown argued that some of the comments Konia made to people after the murders were "quasi-confessions".

The Crown said the murders were premeditated but Mr Steedman said he believed Konia acted on the spur of the moment.

Justice Ronald Young said he believed the murders were premeditated. Konia waited for Mrs Waldin when she arrived at Mr Ferguson's flat.

He approached her from behind and repeatedly stabbed her, then went into Mr Ferguson's bedroom and killed him.

Konia then ransacked the bedroom, stole money and stabbed Mrs Waldin in the back.

Before leaving the flat he turned off the lights and locked the door, Justice Young said.

"It was a brutal, frenzied, bloody attack at night in what should have been the sanctuary of Mr Ferguson's home."

The only mitigating circumstance was Konia's schizophrenia, he said.

Mr Ferguson's daughter Maree Ferguson and Mr Waldin said the sentence brought closure.

- NZPA