24 Aug 2010

Bodies removed from Feilding house

9:17 pm on 24 August 2010

The bodies of three people found dead in a house in the Manawatu town of Feilding have been removed.

The middle-aged couple and an elderly man were discovered at the Lees Road house on Monday.

Police say the process of formal identification will now take place and their names will not be made public until that is complete.

The identifications are expected to be completed on Wednesday, when post-mortem examinations will also be held.

A forensic examination of the house is continuing, and police expect to be there for the next couple of days.

Police say they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

Police say the deaths on Monday are not related to the killing of Scott Guy, who was shot dead in the driveway of his farm near Feilding on 8 July.

Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan says there have been a number of phone calls and visitors to the station by people who are "incredibly upset", but there is no evidence that any one else was involved in the deaths and people have nothing to fear.

There have been other sudden deaths connected with the North Island town in the past two months.

Two people were killed in a mid-air plane crash in late July and Feilding soldier Tim O'Donnell was killed in Afghanistan earlier this month.

Community shocked

The sister of farmer Scott Guy says she is shocked to hear of another tragedy in the community.

Nikki Guy told Morning Report the community is trying to stay positive and strong, and will hold a candlelight vigil on Friday night.

"If our lives stop because of what happened to Scott then the person that took him has won, but if we carry on, then we win and Scott wins."

Ms Guy said the vigil was about caring for each other and looking after each other and the community.

Helen Worboys, from Feilding Promotions, says the candlelight vigil will enable the community to come together and reflect on all that has happened in the town.

Mr Worboys says the past few months have been particularly hard on emergency services and residents.

The president of Manawatu/Rangitikei Federated Farmers, Gordon McKeller, also says the deaths are a shock to the community.