Ellerslie murder: Fuk-Fu Joseph Kwok remembered by colleague

A colleague of slain nurse Joseph Kwok has paid tribute to her friend and demanded justice for the family, revealing he died on his birthday.

Two men have been arrested for the violent murder of Auckland couple Fuk-Fu Joseph Kwok and Mei Han Chong, but the motive behind the double killing is still unclear.

A woman who worked with Kwok for several years, who didn’t want to be named, said she realised something was wrong when the senior orthopaedic nurse didn’t turn up for his shift at North Shore Hospital.

“It was his birthday at the turn of midnight leading into Sunday, the day he was mercilessly and helplessly killed.”

Kwok, 66, was allegedly stabbed multiple times at his Ellerslie home on Sunday, November 5, and a family member found his body the following Monday evening.

His wife, Chong, 67, was missing after the alleged murder, prompting a police search for her and the couple’s car. Police then found her body in a bush area in Greenhithe overnight on Thursday.

“He was supposed to be on annual leave after working one more afternoon shift with us that Sunday. We were planning to sing him Happy Birthday when he arrived, but he never came.

“We called him on his phone but he wasn’t answering. We waited a couple hours more but no Uncle Joseph. He has never not turned up for any shift without phoning work with a reason.”

Kwok was set to have a long holiday with his family after his birthday and last shift, she said.

“That’s when we started worrying that something bad might have happened.”

Fuk-Fu Joseph Kwok (right), Mei Han Chong and their son, seen here in one of the photos the couple's family have released to police. Photo / NZ Police

She described him as an excellent theatre nurse who worked hard all his life and freely shared his knowledge and expertise, and everyone at her work was deeply affected by the murder.

“He loved educating us so that we could be good in what we do.

“He’s probably saved countless lives... it’s very ironic and sad that he goes this way.”

The woman said she was still in shock over Kwok’s death, and learning more details about it has been “traumatising.”

“He was, undoubtedly in our minds, an upstanding citizen who helped save people’s lives on a daily basis. Only to be killed in cold blood on his birthday...

“He didn’t deserve that. His wife didn’t deserve that. Their son didn’t deserve that. Us nurses don’t deserve that.”

She told the Herald she wanted the public to know what type of person Kwok was during his life, instead of just about how he died.

“He was a good man.

“Probably some of the people who will be reading anything [the Herald] publishes would have been patients of his over his career.”

Police arrested a second person last night in connection with the Ellerslie pair’s death.

The 26-year-old was located at a Glenfield home in northwest Auckland and has been charged with two counts of murder.

Police last night arrested a second man in relation to both murders. Photo / NZ Police

The second arrest follows the earlier arrest of a 42-year-old man, who appeared by audio-visual link in court yesterday when he was granted interim name suppression. He, too, is from Glenfield, but was arrested in Hamilton on Thursday night.

He wore a blue boiler suit and appeared calm, answering the judge’s questions in a measured tone from the Auckland Custody Unit in Mt Eden prison.

He was remanded in custody without plea for his next appearance in the High Court at Auckland, on November 29.

Detective Inspector Scott Beard says police are not looking for anyone else in relation to the investigation.

“While arrests have been made, there are still a number of inquiries yet to be completed,” Beard said.

“We can advise the scene examination has now been completed at the Greenhithe area where Ms Chong was located.”

An autopsy on Chong’s body is due to be carried out today.

“Police are continuing to provide support to the family at the centre of this tragic incident,” Beard said.

Detectives yesterday scoured at least four crime scenes around Auckland in connection with the alleged murders.

An autopsy on Chong’s body is due to be carried out today. Photo / NZ Police

Brad Healey, interim group director of operations at Te Whatu Ora-Waitematā, extended condolences to the hospital’s theatre team, who were mourning their “respected colleague”.

“Joseph was a valued and well-liked member of our North Shore Hospital family and I would like to acknowledge his exceptional service,” Healey said.

“Our hearts are with those who worked with him.

“They are feeling this loss immensely and we will ensure they are supported through this period.”