Sex link in pensioner murder adds to family's anguish

The brutal killing of Marton pensioner Mona Morriss was almost certainly sexually motivated, police say.

That "disturbing" new piece of information was released yesterday by the man heading the homicide investigation team, Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Arnerich.
Mrs Morriss, 83, was found dead in her pensioner flat on the morning of January 5. She died of multiple stab wounds after a brutal attack.

Mr Arnerich said crime scene evidence clearly pointed to sexual activity by the killer but he declined to specify the nature of that.

Forensic samples taken during the post-mortem examination were still being processed and those samples would confirm the scene evidence.

But at this stage of the investigation "it would not be prudent to detail the other serious injuries" Mrs Morriss suffered.

The revelation of a sexual aspect to the homicide added an even more traumatic dimension to the pain already endured by her family in the past 12 days.

At a police briefing in Marton yesterday, Mrs Morriss' daughters Mary Henley and Glenys Meade and grandson Andrew Morriss made strong and emotional pleas for anyone with any information that could lead to the arrest of the killer to tell the police.

"Our mother must have been terrified before she died," Mrs Henley said. "But the worst thing is that this could happen to someone else. So please, please come forward."

Mrs Meade said the killer deserved "to rot in hell for what he did to our mother" and only his capture and punishment would restore her mother's respect and dignity.

She said the killer should be tied to a pole in the centre of town and left "for everyone to have a go".

"We know that is not what will happen but that's what we feel like right now."

Andrew Morriss said knowing his grandmother had also been sexually assaulted by her killer made her death "so much more difficult to handle".

He appealed for help from Marton residents. "Someone out there knows something."

Mr Arnerich said as a result of the "disturbing aspects" of the crime, the police criminal profiling unit in Auckland had been called in to help.

It would analyse the specific details to compile a profile of the killer.

Historic sexually motivated killings in similar circumstances would also be examined to identify potential suspects.

Mr Arnerich hinted that investigators were pinning at least some of their hopes for a breakthrough on the criminal fraternity of Marton and the wider region.

"The killer must be under considerable pressure at the moment, knowing the strength and depth of feeling in the community.

And the type of person who is sexually motivated and brutally kills an old lady is a person who even the criminal community doesn't protect.

"We have already had some co-operation from that community and appeal to them to provide any information that might identify this killer," Mr Arnerich said.

"The police want to find this person, the family wants that and so does the community."

More than 150 DNA, fingerprint, shoe and hair samples have been collected from the scene and compared with samples taken from "persons of interest".

Police had received a number of calls on an 0800 number set up for members of the public with information.

Mr Arnerich would not comment on the nature of the calls but said the investigation was progressing steadily.

"The situation is becoming clearer every day, every hour, every interview."

The possibility that the crime was linked to the murder of Wanganui 20-year-old Tania McKenzie had not been eliminated.

Anyone with information on the murder of Mona Morriss should call 0800 493-554.