Police again search stream for Feilding weapon

PALMERSTON NORTH - A police dive squad was back searching Feilding's Makino Stream today for the weapon used to fatally stab two Feilding pensioners.

The dive squad from Wellington was in Feilding more than two weeks ago searching a section of the stream behind the Bowen St flat where Ted Ferguson, 73, and Margaret Waldin, 76, were found slain.

David Konia, a 52-year-old Feilding man, previously from Waipawa in Hawke's Bay, was arrested and charged with murder on Tuesday.

He made a brief appearance in Palmerston North District Court on Wednesday and was remanded in custody to reappear on June 28.

Sergeant Mike Yates, who is in charge of the searches, said a specialist team from Wellington and search and rescue staff from Palmerston North would search the stream's banks today.

He said eight people searched Kowhai Park yesterday, as well as some buildings around the Alexander Flats in Awahuri Rd, where Konia lived. Police recruits from Porirua yesterday finished sorting through rubbish at the Feilding tip for now. Mr Yates said they had found several items but didn't elaborate.

More than 20 recruits spent two days going through rubbish dumped at the tip since the day the bodies were found on May 29.

Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan said police contacted the Feilding landfill immediately after the killings and asked for incoming rubbish to be kept separate in case they needed to search it at some point. He said that is not uncommon in serious crimes.

The officer in charge of the double homicide inquiry Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan would not comment on whether security footage led police to making an arrest because the matter is now sub judice.

Police were looking at camera footage collected from a liquor store opposite the entrance into Mr Ferguson's flat.

Mr Sheridan said police have received a number of calls from the public offering information about Konia since his picture was published on Wednesday following his court appearance.

- nzpa