STORY: "Mark Lundy's car investigated," by Radio New Zealand, published on February 18, 2014.
GIST: "A police officer had to break a fuel flap in murder accused Mark Lundy's car in order to successfully siphon petrol from its tank, the High Court in Wellington has been told. Mr Lundy, 56, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Christine, 38, and seven-year-old Amber Lundy, whose bodies were found in their Palmerston North home on 30 August 2000. His retrial, before Justice Simon France and a jury of seven men and five women, is in its second week in the High Court in Wellington. The Crown contends he killed his wife for her insurance money, and his daughter because she saw what he was doing to her mother. Mr Lundy was in business in the Wellington area on 29 August and the police allege he entertained a prostitute in his Petone motel room before driving to Palmerston North in the early hours of 30 August, killing his wife and daughter and returning to Petone. On the opening day of the trial the Crown said Mr Lundy, who had a habit of running his car until it was nearly empty, had filled it up on the evening of 29 August. However, when police stopped him as he drove into Palmerston North the next morning his car was nearly empty again.
Nigel Withell, who in 2000 was a police detective in Palmerston North, said he was asked to try to siphon petrol from Mr Lundy's car as part of the investigation in 2001. He used a 1.5m long piece of 12mm thick garden hose to try to siphon the petrol but found he could not get it into the tank as it was hampered by a spring-loaded flap. He was only able to successfully siphon petrol after using a screwdriver to hold the flap in place - and that broke the flap. There had been no damage to the petrol cap or flap before he started the test, Mr Withell said.
GIST: "A police officer had to break a fuel flap in murder accused Mark Lundy's car in order to successfully siphon petrol from its tank, the High Court in Wellington has been told. Mr Lundy, 56, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Christine, 38, and seven-year-old Amber Lundy, whose bodies were found in their Palmerston North home on 30 August 2000. His retrial, before Justice Simon France and a jury of seven men and five women, is in its second week in the High Court in Wellington. The Crown contends he killed his wife for her insurance money, and his daughter because she saw what he was doing to her mother. Mr Lundy was in business in the Wellington area on 29 August and the police allege he entertained a prostitute in his Petone motel room before driving to Palmerston North in the early hours of 30 August, killing his wife and daughter and returning to Petone. On the opening day of the trial the Crown said Mr Lundy, who had a habit of running his car until it was nearly empty, had filled it up on the evening of 29 August. However, when police stopped him as he drove into Palmerston North the next morning his car was nearly empty again.
Nigel Withell, who in 2000 was a police detective in Palmerston North, said he was asked to try to siphon petrol from Mr Lundy's car as part of the investigation in 2001. He used a 1.5m long piece of 12mm thick garden hose to try to siphon the petrol but found he could not get it into the tank as it was hampered by a spring-loaded flap. He was only able to successfully siphon petrol after using a screwdriver to hold the flap in place - and that broke the flap. There had been no damage to the petrol cap or flap before he started the test, Mr Withell said.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/266416/lundy%27s-car-investigated
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:
Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.
I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.
The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-charles-smith-award-presented-to_28.html
I look forward to hearing from readers at:
hlevy15@gmail.com.
Harold Levy; Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog;
