Brutal death of triplet breaks family

Triplets Michelle Hermans, Leanne Kingston (second from left) and Nicole Berriman with their mother, Linda Stephens. Photo / Supplied

An identical triplet whose sister was brutally murdered by her estranged partner still struggles to understand how a man she had known for 22 years was capable of such violence.

Nicole Berriman now refers to herself as a twin after her sister Leanne Kingston was beaten and stabbed to death by her estranged partner Cary Grant Thurgood in August 2009.

Thurgood, the father of Ms Kingston's four children, was sentenced this month to serve at least 19 years in prison for what the judge described as a "cold, selfish, jealous act of rage".

The tragedy didn't receive much media attention because Thurgood was convicted during the Pike River tragedy and sentenced as the nation's focus was on the aftermath of the earthquake in Christchurch.

Mrs Berriman said the bond she shared with her sister was difficult to explain, and it was as though a part of her had been taken by her death.

Her younger sister Lisa Whittle said the death of one of the triplets had been "like a daisy chain being picked".

The family are now warning other women to be aware of signs that their partner or ex-partner may be prone to a similar act of violence.

"To think he came here every week for a coffee, almost every day. I'd always taken Cary as a kind, loving person and dad, but he wasn't," Mrs Berriman told the Herald yesterday.

"Honestly, the injuries that Leanne had on her body, how he killed her was brutal. It was more than brutal, actually it looked like they'd put her in a slaughter chamber."

Ms Kingston's body was discovered by Ms Whittle in the bathroom of her Papakura home on August 10, 2009.

Ms Whittle said that when she arrived at the house the blinds were drawn, the key was in the door and there was a strong smell of cleaning fluid. She walked down the hallway and saw her sister's body.

"I knew she was dead straight away, because her hand was grey. You could just tell there's no life there.

"Your body just goes numb and you don't express it until later on; it comes out in resentments and anger."

After Thurgood was arrested, he told police he had received a phone call from his 19-year-old son confessing to the killing.

Thurgood's "best mate" Steven Moorby also told police that the teenager, who has a learning difficulty, admitted to him that he had killed his own mother.

But their story fell apart when phone records showed Thurgood's son, who had a solid alibi, made no call to his father on the day of the killing.

CCTV footage was found showing Thurgood buying the gloves, plastic ties and bleach that were found with the murder weapon in a skip behind the Irish pub where he worked.

Moorby then claimed he heard the confession "in a dream", but was convicted with Thurgood of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Mrs Berriman said Thurgood's attempt to frame his own son showed just how callous and weak he was.

"That's what gutted me most. I had to walk out of the court because I was absolutely crying my eyes out."

Ms Kingston's four children now lived with her mother and were doing "really well" considering what they had been through.

Thurgood had been separated from Ms Kingston for four years before the murder.

However, he manipulated her into seeing him during that time by telling their children she wasn't a good mum if she didn't spend time with them at his place, Mrs Berriman said.

In court, it was revealed Thurgood had repeatedly slashed Ms Kingston's car tyres, left her abusive messages and used her neighbours to spy on her.

Ms Kingston spent the night before the murder at the home of a new partner she had been seeing for two weeks.

"I've never seen her so happy," Mrs Berriman said. "Four years of being separated and then she found somebody, and all of a sudden this evil monster comes out.

"What a way to meet a guy she was dating - at the gate of the house where she's been murdered."