Memorial to Tanya Burr, killed 15 September 2002

Rotorua to Poupatete Marae: 18 September 2002

How a family receives the news of a tragedy: extracts from my Outbox

We found ourselves in two little convoys as we drove down from Rotorua with Tanya. Her father took her, accompanied by his sister and niece in another car, and later they met his brother and his wife at Bulls. We (three vehicles) were travelling about an hour behind Tanya, as I couldn't bring myself to leave Rotorua without Tanya's car. It was released by the police just after 4:00pm, after the fingerprinting had more or less been cleaned out. 

At the last minute the police also got round to removing the car from the missing vehicle list, which could otherwise have made life interesting. In addition to that, just after 6:00pm we found ourselves on the receiving end of a speed camera at a point about 800 metres north of Waitahanui Bridge and Rotongaio Road, alongside Lake Taupo. This was about 25 kms north of where Tanya's car had been found the previous morning.

The entertaining feature of this encounter was that we had been flashed by another approaching driver as a warning, so were looking for the speed camera. Unfortunately, it was not possible to decide what the speed was supposed to be in the location concerned, as we had passed the 70km sign without noticing it. It looked rural, so I, in the front car, concluded it was a 100km zone. When I got snapped at 92kms, Graham, driving Tanya's car, concluded it must be slower - and thus got snapped at 82kms. When Nick and Anita saw Graham also snapped, they figured we still hadn't got it right - and thus got safely under the limit.

The end result was that, given the circumstances, we were let off these tickets, but given the photos as a special momento. Perhaps Tanya was helping record this important journey.....

Tanya about to leave Osborne's Funeral Home, Rotorua.

Tanya leaving Rotorua for the last time, driven by her father and with her auntie and cousin following.

Below: Removing the 'stealables' from Tanya's flat after taking possession of her car from the police and just before heading for Manawatu. There was a very legitimate concern that the flat might be broken into in our absence, and so obviously 'at risk' things were packed mostly into Tanya's car - which converts to a little truck when necessary. 

Flat 12's car park is where my car (closest to camera) is parked in this photo. The Integra would probably have been parked in that spot at the time of Tanya's death. Note that its tail was right down on the footpath, meaning passers by would have a good view of it - for better or worse. The car park where the Integra is parked here belongs to the next flat in the block of six flats, despite being right outside Tanya's ranch slider.

The upstairs ranch slider was to Tanya's bedroom. The killer also went for a look round up there as the neighbours continued watching TV through the wall, oblivious of what had just happened. Tanya's suitcase was on the floor in her room. Later the two cats hid in the wardrobe most of the time. Phoebe was probably hiding deep in the wardrobe at the time this photo was taken, as we couldn't find her. 

Due to this glitch, we elected to leave both cats and lots of dried food and water. I had to get them rescued the day after the funeral when its appeared they couldn't get out the cat door. This proved wrong, but the flat was getting a bit unpleasant to be it (not at all from the cats!), so I arranged for the cats to be rescued with the aid of the SPCA and a locksmith. Unfortunately all the keys to the flat were still outside the area.

My car (must clean its diesel-fumed bottom!) earning a $170 speeding ticket, which I was allowed off once the circumstances were explained. (Photo: NZ Police)

Tanya's then-ownerless car earning an $80 speeding ticket, which was also cancelled given the circumstances as explained above. (Photo: NZ Police) 

We reached the Pryce Line-Reu Reu Road intersection, Tokorangi, about twenty minutes before Tanya, as the others had needed to go into Palmerston North to switch Tanya  to the flash oak coffin and pick up heaps of flowers that had been delivered to my place in my absence. We had been in cellphone contact whenever necessary throughout the journey, so were quite well co-ordinated between the two groups. Once we were altogether, we followed Tanya to Poupatete Marae, where we arrived to a welcome about 10:00 pm. It had been a loooonng day.