A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said people living in the lodge had pooled their money together to buy flowers for the deceased. They laid the bouquets by the doorway to pay their respects.
"We have humanity at this house. We look after the people in here.
"We feel sad for the girl's family and his family too."
A small group of people at the lodge had opened the room sensing worrying signs from inside.
They saw Hamilton's body, closed the door and called police, the resident said. Ellwood's body was not immediately visible.
"Something went wrong in that room.
"Only god knows what happened in that room. And what was going through his and her minds."
Timothy Kerr Hamilton was found dead at the Dryden Lodge halfway house. Photo / Facebook
The room had since been stripped.
Hamilton had checked into the room on Monday, February 26, the resident said.
Ellwood was last seen in Newmarket about 9.30am on February 28.
She had last been in contact with family the night before at 6pm and it was said to be out of character for her not to be in contact.
One of the last people to see Auckland actress Tania Ellwood alive has described seeing her walking outside a Grey Lynn boarding house with Timothy Kerr Hamilton the week before she was found dead.
"I thought that she was his girlfriend ... people often sneak in their female companions," said a shocked worker who stumbled across the pair's bodies this week.
The man, who did not want to be named, said Tania wasn't staying at the lodge at the time. He had, however, seen her with Hamilton shortly after he moved in.
