Killer father had drug problem

By AINSLEY THOMSON

Kelvin Mercer, the man who killed his estranged wife and baby son in Dunedin, had a drug habit, police say.

Mr Mercer, who set fire to himself at his wife's house in Dunedin, died in Middlemore Hospital, South Auckland, on Saturday.

His family said the body would be released today and his funeral is expected to be on Thursday. They declined to comment further.

Detective Senior Sergeant Tony Wakelin, of Dunedin, confirmed that Mr Mercer had a cannabis habit and had attended drug counselling the night before Wendy Mercer and her son, Will, were killed.

Mr Mercer had sought help from Dunedin's mental health services for his addiction, and Wednesday's counselling session was his second, Mr Wakelin said.

"It is believed that he was told that if he wanted access to his kids he had to sort his drug problem out. The meeting on the Wednesday evening certainly didn't highlight any problems as far as the mental health services were concerned - they said it was a normal meeting."

Otago District Health Board chief executive Brian Rousseau said if Mr Mercer had received counselling, the hospital would review his treatment in co-operation with police investigations into his medical history.

Mr Wakelin said 5-year-old Aurial Mercer, who was injured by her father before he took her to a neighbour's house, would be interviewed by police today.

The results of tests on Mr Mercer's blood for drugs would not be available for weeks, he said.

Police and ambulance officers found the 32-year-old freezing worker ablaze in the hallway of his family's Ettrick St home in suburban Brockville early on Thursday.

Mrs Mercer, 34, and 6-month-old Will were found dead, both of stab wounds.

Police said Mrs Mercer suffered multiple wounds, and the child, whose body was found in his cot in a bedroom, just one. Mrs Mercer was also badly burned.

Mr Mercer's badly burned legs were operated on at Christchurch Hospital before he was transferred to South Auckland.

Middlemore Hospital duty manager Wendy Brain confirmed yesterday that Mr Mercer died at 1am following further surgery.

Aurial Mercer and her sister, Crystalynn, 3, are understood to have been discharged from Dunedin Hospital. Crystalynn had a serious knife wound to her throat which required surgery, and Aurial had a superficial wound. Neither had burns, although one had accelerant on her.

Mr Wakelin said Mr Mercer took the girls to a neighbour's home just before police were called.

Mr Mercer, the father of all three children, was the only suspect in the case, he said. A knife had been found at the scene and an accelerant had been used.

Mrs Mercer took out a protection order against her husband last August.

Mr Wakelin revealed Mr Mercer had left a note with workmates before driving to Ettrick St. Its contents have not been disclosed.

Police had visited the house twice before - in August and December last year - over a property matter and then child access arguments.