KEY POINTS:
The brother of murdered schoolteacher Lois Dear says he is disappointed at the lack of public outcry over the brutal killing of retired teacher John Rowe.
Harley Dear said Mr Rowe's murder in his Opotiki home ranked alongside his sister's violent death in her Tokoroa classroom in July
2006.
Mr Dear said there was "a huge outcry", including street marches and a town rally, when his 66-year-old sister was bashed to death.
But there had been no such reaction to Mr Rowe's murder six days ago.
"You'd expect the same kind of outcry if people were really disgusted with this thing," he said yesterday.
"I'm just wondering why we haven't had any sort of national disgust."
Mr Rowe's funeral is to be held this morning at the Anglican church in Opotiki.
The 78-year-old's battered body was found in his bedroom on Tuesday morning.
Mr Dear said he felt deeply sorry for Mr Rowe's family, for whom his murder would have been as much of a shock as his sister's was to his family.
He said publicity in Ms Dear's case had served two purposes.
"It was a motivator for people to give information to the police, but it also showed we weren't alone in our disgust. We weren't alone in thinking, 'Hey, things have gone too far in this country'."
In a letter to the Herald, Mr Dear wrote: "The lack of public outcry over John Rowe's murder sends a comfort signal to criminals to carry out business as usual."
Mr Rowe's family have been reluctant to speak publicly about his death, but police said they planned to meet them after the funeral and it was possible they would hold a press conference later in the day or on Tuesday.
Inquiry head Detective Inspector Rob Jones said officers were continuing to review forensic evidence and statements from people interviewed.
He said more staff would tomorrow boost the team of 30 officers already working on the case.
Mr Rowe was attacked in the bedroom of his home last Monday night or early Tuesday. He died of extensive head injuries.
Burglary was possibly the motive for the attack, which Mr Jones described as "especially violent and cowardly".
Asked if police were getting closer to catching those responsible, he said: "It's just a matter of trying to work our way through a large list of people who may be of interest to our inquiry."
Forensic specialists conducted a detailed scene examination of Mr Rowe's property after the discovery of his body by an 85-year-old neighbour, and Mr Jones said some items had been taken to fingerprint technicians in the Waikato for urgent analysis.
Two other properties in Opotiki were also raided on Friday, but no items of interest were found. Items belonging to Mr Rowe were found in nearby streets.
Mr Rowe taught mathematics at Opotiki College, in eastern Bay of Plenty, for 18 years before retiring in 1984.
He had lived alone since his wife died 17 years ago, and is survived by two adult children.
Ms Dear also lived alone, and was murdered in her Strathmore School classroom as she prepared for the first day of a new term.
Her killer, Whetu Te Hiko, 23, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum non-parole period of 18 years.
Police have set up free phone and text lines for anyone with information about John Rowe's death. The free phone number is 0800 HELPJOHN, or 0800 435756, and the text line is 027 766 5443. Information can be given anonymously.
* Harley Dear's letter to the Editor
Unless I have missed some vital smoke signals, I am disturbed to note a distinct lack of national public outrage over the shocking death of retired Opotiki teacher John Rowe.
I am sure the family, the police and the community there are outraged at his death, but why does this murder pass the greater part of New Zealand by as if it was just a car theft?
When my sister Lois Dear was murdered in her classroom in July 2006 there was a national outcry of disgust, a publicised funeral, a town rally and a train trip for her pupil victims.
By this display of national shock over Lois' murder, could I be forgiven for believing we had turned a corner and were going to witness a movement that would make this country safer?
Was I foolish to believe there was a determination to stamp out the criminal element in this country that seems to have free reign and gets away with slaps on the wrist with a wet bus ticket?
The lack of public outcry over John Rowe's murder sends a comfort signal to criminals.
Although we had to be content with the sentence given to my sister's murderer, given the current status quo of our justice system, it was nowhere near enough for our family and those directly affected. Taking a life should mean a life sentence - the full remaining life of the convicted behind bars with absolutely no parole.
Harley Dear, Mt Wellington.
