The jury in the Mark Lundy trial has heard the 111 call made by his brother-in-law after he found the bodies of his sister Christine and niece Amber in August 2000.
Lundy, 56, is being retried for the murders of his wife and seven-year-old daughter in their suburban home in Palmerston North.
Christine’s younger brother called the ambulance when he discovered his niece’s body in the hallway.
“I’ve just arrived and my niece is lying on the floor not moving,” he told the operator, adding that she had “gaping head injuries.”
Lundy’s laywer accuses brother of murders
Earlier this afternoon defence lawyers for Lundy turned the tables on the victim's brother, suggesting to the court he was the killer.
Giving evidence at the High Court in Wellington, Christine Lundy's younger brother Glenn Weggery told the jury how he discovered his sister and niece's bloodied bodies hours after they were murdered almost 15 years ago.
But during cross examination, defence lawyer David Hislop QC pressed Mr Weggery about this interview with police on October 31 - two months after Christine and Amber Lundy were killed.
Police had treated Mr Weggery as a suspect and searched his car and property after the murders, using lumino to look for blood.
"They incorrectly suggested that," Mr Weggery told the court, insisting he had nothing to do with the deaths.
Mr Hislop questioned Mr Weggery over why he did not look for Christine after he discovered Amber's lifeless body in their Palmerston North home, and why he called an ambulance before checking on Amber.
"I didn't think to waste time calling for her when Amber was lying on the floor with her head covered in blood.
"I'm sorry but my first instinct was to call emergency services," Mr Weggery said.
The defence told the jury Christine had what are called "defence injuries" to her hands and forearm, as well as unidentified DNA under her finger nails - meaning she tried to fight her killer off.
Mr Hislop asked Mr Weggery whether he was the one she tried to escape from.
"I'm not going to sit here and be accused of it," said Mr Weggery.
He told police at the time of the murders he was watching TV at home that night.
'There was blood everywhere'
Mr Weggery told court earlier today he was "very close" with his sister, and lived just five minutes from her Palmerston North home when she was killed.
Mr Weggery had been waiting for Christine to complete his tax returns for his truck driving business, which she normally did.
Christine told him she would have it done by the morning of August 30 - but when Mr Weggery phoned her that day, there was no answer.
Mr Weggery drove to the Lundy's house later that morning, where he parked his truck outside. He went around the back to enter through the conservatory, which was standard practice.
He noted the ranchslider was open about two or three feet - enough space for a person to easily get through, he said.
Mr Weggery went inside and picked up a courier parcel that had been dropped off, before putting it on the dining room table.
"I called out 'hello,'" he told the court. "No response."
Mr Weggery walked down the hallway towards the home's office, thinking Christine might be in there.
"I saw Amber lying face down at the end of the hallway," Mr Weggery recalled.
He tried calling emergency services from a portable phone in the kitchen, but it didn't work. He headed towards the office again and managed to call police and ambulance.
"I actually said that I needed to report a murder."
Mr Weggery checked his niece's pulse and was told by an ambulance spokesperson not to touch anything else.
"Her head was cracked open at the back. Blood was everywhere," he said.
He then looked into his sister's bedroom and saw Christine lying dead on her bed.
Without going any further into the house, Mr Weggery ran outside to see if the ambulance had arrived. He then tried phoning family members.
Christine's best friend arrived at the house.
"I told her she didn't want to go inside."
They both went through the front door of the house, but remained in the dining area until ambulances arrived.
Christine's husband, Mark Lundy, is on retrial for the murders after the Privy Council quashed his convictions in 2013. Lundy served 12 years in prison for the murders, after a jury found him guilty in 2002.
The Crown is expected to call more than 140 witnesses in the trial, which will last several weeks.
3 News
source: newshub archive
