Memorial to Tanya Burr, killed 15 September 2002

Police investigate suspicious Rotorua death

The following are a selection of articles various media from the first few days after Tanya's death from various sources, including the first one from the NZ Herald which shows the time 10:56am, which was about 30 minutes after I would have looked at that website when I first turned on my computer for the day. I then saw the link to that article of its replacement (immediately below it) at about 1:30pm, but chose not to click on it as I was busy and obviously it would have nothing to do with me.

Police investigate suspicious Rotorua death

NZ Herald: 16.09.2002 10.56 am

Rotorua detectives investigating the suspicious death of a woman say they need to urgently find her missing car.

Detective Sergeant Dennis Murphy said the woman's body was found in a Hilda Street flat, near the central city, shortly before 8am this morning.

Anyone who has seen her 1993 red Honda Integra, registration plate XL6130 is asked to contact Rotorua police immediately on (07) 348 0099.

- HERALD STAFF

Police investigating suspicious death in Rotorua

NZ Herald: 16.09.2002

Rotorua detectives investigating the suspicious death of a woman found her missing car late this morning.

Detective Sergeant Dennis Murphy said the woman's body was found in a Hilda Street flat, near the central city, shortly before 8am this morning.

The car, a 1993 red Honda Integra, registration plate XL6130 was found in Turangi, 52km southwest of Taupo.

- HERALD STAFF

TV3 News - MURDER INQUIRY

UPDATED: 05:59PM MONDAY 16 SEPTEMBER

Police have launched a homicide inquiry in Rotorua after a 21-year-old woman was found lying dead in her apartment.

While the woman's name hasn't yet been released, police are busy looking for clues that may lead them to her killer.

Leaving home for the final time, this woman's body was taken away by police for examination.

She was found lying on the floor of her apartment by her flatmate just before 8am.

Police say she was killed late yesterday.

The woman's car, found near Turangi three hours after her body, was closely examined by police.

They also questioned residents and some drivers passing through the area.

Police believe the dead woman's car had been parked there for some time.

Police are tonight pleading for anyone who saw the dead woman's vehicle or picked up hitchikers in the Rotorua-Taupo area in the last 24 hours to contact them.

TV 1 - Flatmate makes bloody find

Police investigating the death of a woman in Rotorua say the discovery of her car over an hour's drive away may help lead them to the offender.

A homicide investigation was begun after a flatmate found the body of the 21-year-old woman in her home in Hilda Street on Monday morning.

Police say she suffered a number of injuries and while a post-mortem examination is yet to be carried out, it is clear she died violently.

Detective Senior Sergeant Garth Bryan says the woman's car, a red 1993 Honda Integra, was found in Turangi.

Garth Bryan says police would like to hear from anyone who saw the vehicle being left in Turangi.

Published on Sep 16, 2002

Murder follows Rotorua woman's dream trip

NZ Herald - 17.09.2002
By JO-MARIE BROWN

Less than 48 hours after Tanya Burr returned home from a European holiday with her family, she was found dead in her Rotorua flat.

The two-month-long trip with her mother and younger brother was a 21st present that Miss Burr had been very excited about, a close friend, Emma Jenkins, said yesterday.

Miss Jenkins said Miss Burr had flown home on Saturday but she had not caught up with her former workmate before learning of her death yesterday. "It's a big big shock. She was such a lovely person."

Police were called to Miss Burr's Hilda St unit about 8am yesterday after her sole flatmate returned home from visiting a relative in Te Awamutu to find her face down on the carpet in the lounge.

Miss Burr was last seen alive about 9am on Sunday in her flat.

Detective Senior Sergeant Garth Bryan said there had been a violent struggle and Miss Burr had received many wounds.

Police examining the scene yesterday found several items in the two-bedroom, two-storied flat that could have been used as weapons, but they would not say what injuries had been inflicted.

Miss Burr's body was taken to Auckland last night. An autopsy will be performed today.

Mr Bryan said a clue in tracking Miss Burr's killer was her red 1993 Honda Integra, which was found yesterday morning 38km south of Taupo alongside SH1.

Police want to hear from anyone who saw the vehicle or who picked up hitch-hikers near Turangi on Sunday or Monday.

Mr Bryan said Miss Burr's neighbours did not appear to have seen or heard anything suspicious, although one woman told the Herald she remembered hearing dance music about 1am.

Miss Jenkins said her friend had been a very quiet person.

"She was not really a party person. She was very private. She never really opened up to anyone."

Miss Jenkins was surprised to hear there were no signs of forced entry at the unit as Miss Burr was extremely security conscious. "If she's home the door's always locked. Even during the day.

"She's just really paranoid about things happening and with the neighbours so close."

Miss Burr moved to Rotorua from Palmerston North two years ago and lived at several addresses before moving into Hilda St this year.

She had worked as a cleaner at a local motel and as a waitress in a central city cafe but had been unemployed for several months* before her trip overseas.

Miss Jenkins said Miss Burr would often visit relatives in Palmerston North or go to Auckland, where she enjoyed playing the pokie Machines at Sky City casino.

Former employer Lee Bristol, who was shocked to learn of Miss Burr's death, described her as really attractive, adding "she was quiet at first but once you got to know her she was a bit of a hard case".

* She worked for a Market Research company after leaving the cafe.

Email to NZ Herald

Hi, re your article this morning: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydisplay.cfm?storyID=2847458&thesection=news&thesubsection=general

There are some mistakes in it that are easier fixed now than later - should they require revisiting.

We went to Norway (totalling eight family members) for my brother's wedding and then she went on a Contiki excursion trip around Norway.

We (Tanya, her brother Kieran aged 11, and me) went on 12 August. The wedding was on 17 August. Then she and my sister and brother-in-law went to London where several days later Tanya went on a 16-day European Encounter holiday to the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Italy etc. She evidently had a terrific time. She got home to Wellington last Thursday afternoon, then I brought her here to Palmerston North where she stayed Thursday night.

She then stayed with her Auntie in Dannevirke Friday night. She and I chanced to meet in Dannevirke again on Saturday early afternoon just as she prepared to drive home to Rotorua. She duly got there and I phoned her Sunday morning about 10:30 am to confirm she was home safely - and to tell her my brother and his wife (the newlyweds) had also just got home an hour or so earlier. She was fine then obviously, and her two beloved cats (Puffball and Phoebe), who she had been keen to get home to, were also fine.

I saw your item on the internet about three hours before the police told me yesterday afternoon at 4:00pm. However, I didn't look at the webpage - fortunately or otherwise.

Regards, Val Burr,

Homicide inquiry after woman's body found in Rotorua flat

NZPA, 17 September 2002

A woman's violently beaten body was found in a Rotorua flat yesterday morning, sparking a homicide investigation.

The body of 21-year-old Tanya Burr, of Rotorua, was found at 8.10am by her flatmate who had spent the night visiting a relative in Te Awamutu.

Miss Burr's body was found on the lounge floor of their Hilda St apartment.

Detective Senior Sergeant Garth Bryan of Rotorua police said there appeared to have been a violent struggle in the flat, resulting in Miss Burr suffering injuries all over her body.

It has not been determined what time the death happened.

Miss Burr's body was removed from the flat at 4pm and taken to Auckland for a post-mortem.

It was not known how she died.

"There are several things we have found which could have possibly been used as weapons," Mr Bryan said.

"We are unable to say what has taken place in regard to the personalities who have taken part. It is too hard to tell whether there was more than one person involved."

Although there was no sign of forced entry and there did not appear to be any items missing from the house, Mr Bryan said it was too early to say whether the offender was known to Miss Burr.

"The scene is being examined by scientists and police and we are speaking to neighbours and people in the district."

Miss Burr's car, a 1993 red Honda Integra registration XL6130, was found apparently dumped next to a Caltex service station on the northern side of Turangi on State Highway 1 late this morning.

"Whether the person lives in that area or whether they have stolen another car from there, we don't know."

Mr Bryan appealed to anyone who may have seen someone near the car or who had picked up a hitchhiker in the area to contact the police on 0800 TIPOFF (0800 847633).

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2051871a11,00.html

ALLEGED KILLER MOVED

TV3 - UPDATED: 05:31PM FRIDAY 20 SEPTEMBER>

Child, Youth and Family have shifted an alleged killer from the Palmerston North facility where he was being held because the funeral of his alleged victim was to take place in the same district.

The funeral was for 21-year-old Tanya Burr, found stabbed to death in her Rotorua flat.

Her family home was in Palmerston North.

This was one the things Tanya Burr loved, her car, parked outside the Palmerston North Hall where her funeral was held today.

Just down the road, is the Youth Justice Centre, where until yesterday, the 16-year-old accused of her murder was being held.

Tanya's mother Valerie demanded Child, Youth and Family remove him.

Mother, Valerie Burr says: "While standing in the room looking at the blood which had been half cleaned up, and don't you let him anywhere near Kelvin Grove and he was removed the following morning."

Inside the Kelvin Grove Community Hall friends and family remembered Tanya.

Val Burr is still struggling to understand the motive behind the killing.

Mother, Valerie Burr says: "It's completely irrational. We've been told by police the moment she opened the ranch slider she was effectively going to be dead."

A brutal end to a life that shouldn't have been taken.

Family, friends farewell woman

Dominion Post - 21 September 2002

By BOB WILLIAMS

A final photograph of murdered Rotorua woman Tanya Burr and her mother Val – taken on a recent overseas trip – was presented to Mrs Burr at yesterday's funeral in Palmerston North.

Norwegian friend Stan Andresen, who took the photograph, was among the nearly 200 mourners at the service at the Kelvin Grove Community Centre.

Miss Burr, 21, died from multiple stab wounds after a violent struggle in her Rotorua flat on Sunday night, shortly after arriving back in the country from attending the wedding of her uncle in Norway. A 16-year-old Rotorua youth has been charged with her murder.

Mrs Burr heads the Kelvin Grove Residents Association and was a leading figure in uniting the suburb after Mark Lundy murdered his wife, Christine, and daughter, Amber, in August 2000.

Among the speakers was Miss Burr's flatmate, Catherine Johnson, who discovered the body soon after 8am on Monday.

"Nothing in the world could have ever prepared me for what I walked into and the image I have is hard to deal with," she said.

"So what's got me through these last few days is our memories of Tanya. She has got to have been one of the most interesting people I ever knew. She was so quirky. We will never forget her."

Mr Andresen, who arrived in New Zealand hours after Mrs Burr learnt of her daughter's death, said he would always remember Miss Burr's smiling face since first meeting her in 1995.

Mrs Burr said her daughter would have been amazed at the number of people at the service. "The last week has been traumatic for all the family, but it has been wonderful to have had contact with you guys and to rekindle memories with long-time acquaintances."

* Police are trying to trace the movements of the youth charged with Miss Burr's murder. He was arrested in Porirua on Tuesday.

Detective Sergeant John Wilson, of Rotorua, said police wanted to speak to the motorist who picked up the youth hitchhiking on State Highway 1 at Turangi, near the Shell service station, about 3am Monday.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/dominionpost/0,2106,2056286a6000,00.html

Tributes flow at funeral for Tanya

Evening Standard - 21 September 2002

By DAVID EAMES

MOURNERS: Pallbearers (from left) Tanya Burr's father Kelvin Williams, uncle Jimmy Williams, friend James Bennett and uncles Russell, Bruce and Paul Burr carry Tanya's casket.
DAN PETTERSEN/Evening Standard

Before a stage adorned with flowers, the mourners gathered to farewell slain 21-year-old Tanya Burr.

Around 200 people attended the service for Miss Burr at Kelvin Grove Community Centre in Palmerston North yesterday.

Miss Burr, formerly of Palmerston North, was found stabbed to death in her Rotorua flat on Monday.

A 16-year-old Rotorua youth has been arrested in Porirua and charged with her murder. He will reappear in court at Rotorua next month.

Longtime family friend Jean Thompson and pentecostal minister Kipa Arapere officiated at the service, which included a number of tributes to Miss Burr - a woman described by Mrs Thompson as "always a headstrong girl".

"We must acknowledge that Tanya has been promoted from this life . . . and it is our prayer that she is now in peace," Mrs Thompson said.

Norwegian author and Burr family friend Stan Andresen, who arrived in Palmerston North just hours before word of Miss Burr's death, paid tribute to the "always smiling and always polite" woman.

He presented a photograph of the two families taken during a recent trip to Norway.

Miss Burr's mother, Valerie, spoke briefly at the service, but avoided mention of "anything emotional".

Another woman to talk was Miss Burr's flatmate, Catherine Johnson, the first to discover her body.

"Nothing in the world could have prepared me for what I walked into."

Often close to tears, Miss Johnson remembered adventures she had undertaken with her friend, and urged those present to move on with their lives.

"(I) just hope from this terrible tragedy that we all can forget the pain and hatred. . .

"She's going to want us all to move on."

In closing, Mrs Thompson talked briefly about the younger generation and the recent crimes commited by it.

"Hopefully, our youth of today will see there's another way . . . when love is given and received, it's a special gift to be treasured."

Miss Burr was buried at Kelvin Grove Cemetery on the outskirts of Palmerston North.

Rotorua police want to talk to the motorist who gave the alleged murderer a lift between Turangi and Wellington on Monday.

The call comes after a 16-year-old Rotorua youth was arrested in Porirua and charged with murdering 21-year-old Tanya Burr.

Miss Burr, formerly of Palmerston North, was found stabbed to death in her Hilda Street flat in Rotorua on Monday.

Police wanted to speak to the motorist who gave a hitchhiker a lift from a point near a Shell service station on State Highway 1 at Turangi about 3am on Monday, Detective Sergeant John Wilson said.

The youth appeared in Porirua Youth Court on Wednesday and was remanded to appear in Rotorua next month.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/eveningstandard/0,2106,2057365a6003,00.html