Sisters: Feilding victim was happily married

Deborah Honeyfield. Photo / Facebook

The sisters of one of the men found at the scene of an apparent murder-suicide near Feilding on Monday say their brother and his wife were very happily married, and they can't understand what had gone wrong.

The family of Deborah Honeyfield, 51, and her father, Ian Ray Honeyfield, 86, asked to be left alone after some members of the family had been approached by media, police communications manager Kim Perks said.

However, the sisters of 65-year-old Desmond Vincent Winnie, Ms Honeyfield's husband, told the Manawatu Standard that he idolised his wife.

"We really thought he was just very happy; obviously there's something that's gone down that's rocked the boat," Karen Winnie said.

The couple married 13 years ago after meeting in a supermarket.

Karen, the only member of Mr Winnie's family to attend his wedding, said Mrs Honeyfield was a "lovely" and "chatty" woman.

"She looked like she was looking for the right kind of man and Des was her right kind of man.

"God knows what happened in the last couple of years," she told the newspaper.

Their brother was not macho, and was more likely to walk away from a confrontation than take part in one.

He had two sons and a daughter from previous relationships. His sons were travelling from Waikato and Australia for Mr Winnie's funeral.

Mr Winnie had worked as a truck driver and a technician at Rentokill, but after an injury spent his time working on his properties.

It was not known why the couple moved from their Sanson lifestyle block to Lees Rd, where Mr Honeyfield had followed this year.

A note was found in the house, where a visitor discovered the bodies on Monday morning, but police would not reveal what it said.

They continued carrying out autopsies and a scene examination today, Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Sheridan said.

Prime Minister John Key yesterday shared his sympathies with the residents of Feilding in the wake of the latest horrific incident to rock the town.

"My thoughts and feelings are with the whole community and particularly the friends and relatives of those close to this most recent sad event," he said.

A memorial gathering in the town will take place tomorrow after requests from residents.

- NZPA