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Home / New Zealand

Woman stabbed to death in Wellington named

By Jimmy Ellingham and Solbin Kang
NZME.·
7 Dec, 2015 05:03 AM3 mins to read

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The Glendale Grove house where a 55-year-old woman was stabbed to death in the Wellington suburb of Churton Park. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Glendale Grove house where a 55-year-old woman was stabbed to death in the Wellington suburb of Churton Park. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Police have named a woman stabbed to death in Wellington.

She was Helen Judith Silverwood, 55.

Tonight, the man accused of killing her is in custody awaiting a mental health assessment.

The 28-year-old, whose name is suppressed, is charged with murdering Mrs Silverwood at a Glendale Grove property in the northern suburb of Churton Park.

He appeared in the Wellington District Court dock this afternoon, wearing a white boiler suit. The man did not enter a plea and defence lawyer Noel Sainsbury successfully sought an interim name suppression order.

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He said the man was seen by forensic psychiatrist Dr Justin Barrie-Walsh today.

"He proposes, and I agree, that [the man] be detained in a psychiatric hospital for a report under the Criminal Procedure Mentally Impaired Persons Act."

Judge Peter Rollo ordered the report and declined applications from media organisations to photograph and film the man.

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"At this stage it's very uncertain just how the case will pan out," the judge said.

"[The man] has some health issues that need to be addressed before the case can proceed."

The man will be detained in a psychiatric hospital until his next appearance in the High Court later this month.

Only a light police presence remained at the scene of the stabbing today. Police were called there just after 7.30 yesterday evening.

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Police say the man was found a short distance from the property.

This morning, Newstalk ZB's Laura Dooney said the cul-de-sac was quiet. Just one policeman remained guarding the scene, while walkers and joggers went by on their business.

She said the house where the stabbing happened was a two-storey weatherboard structure, with two cars parked in the driveway and a boat on the property.

Its curtains were drawn this morning.

Neighbouring houses had Christmas lights up and it was difficult to tell anything untoward had happened, Dooney said.

A police statement says it is believed Mrs Silverwood was stabbed at the property.

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Police and victim support were speaking to her family and providing support.

This afternoon, police said they would complete their scene examination today. A post-mortem examination of the body would be conducted tomorrow.

"Police would like to assure the community that this was not a random act and that no one else is being sought in connection with this case," a police statement says.

"As this is an active homicide investigation, police are unable to provide any further details at this time."

A neighbour on Glendale Grove, who didn't want to be named, said she didn't know the people who lived at what is now a crime scene.

"They brought us fish last Christmas but I haven't really spoken to them much," she said.

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Mrs Silverwood's husband was often in his garage.

"They seemed jovial," the neighbour said.

Family friends came by with flowers to leave outside the letterbox.

One person, who also didn't want to be named, said they were "life-long friends".

The woman wept and said "it's just not fair".

Another neighbour often walked past the house.

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"I've often seen the lady gardening and her husband is in his garage sometimes drinking a beer," he said.

"I usually say G'day."

The neighbour saidMrs Silverwood's death was a "shock".

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