Murderer spent time in New Zealand

The man did not come to the attention of the police while in New Zealand. Photo / Supplied

A man who reportedly confessed to three murders in a suicide note spent time in New Zealand in 2006 - but did not come to the attention of police during the stint.

The West Australian reported Richard Edward Dorrough confessed to murdering three people in a handwritten suicide note found after his death in Australia in August 2014.

The note did not identify those he claimed to have killed and West Australian Police said the state coroner had told them not to reveal, or confirm, the contents of the note.

New Zealand police confirmed today that Dorrough, born in 1977, entered New Zealand in May 2006 and left in August 2006.

He arrived and departed from Auckland but police would not state which suburb he lived in or whether he worked during his stay.

Interpol national coordinator Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Chenery said Dorrough did not come to the attention of New Zealand police during the time, but police were making further inquiries.

Any unsolved homicide or missing persons files from that time are not closed, but may remain inactive until further information comes to hand, he said.

New information was always carefully assessed to determine if it would assist in advancing a case, he said.

Dorrough was a suspect in the 1997 disappearance of a 21-year-old woman in the northwest Australian beach resort town of Broome and he was charged with the 1998 murder of a 29-year-old prostitute in Sydney. He was acquitted at trial.

West Australian police spokeswoman Ros Weatherall told the Herald on Sunday Dorrough lived in almost every Australian state and had many jobs before his death aged 37, including as a marine technician, sheet metal fabricator, commercial diver, air system technician, welder and postie.

She did not know where or what Dorrough's occupation was when he was in New Zealand.
The state's special crime squad had contacted police in the places where Dorrough had lived or visited and so far they had been unable to link him to any unsolved crimes.

The state's crime assistant commissioner Michelle Fyfe said they wanted the public's help.

"We are seeking public assistance regarding Dorrough's movements across Australia and even in New Zealand over the past 20 years."