Sounds murder trial brings feeling of envy to Kirsty's mother

By Tony Wall

It is almost six months since Kirsty Bentley disappeared while out walking her dog on a stifling hot New Year's Eve in Ashburton - and still her mother Jill waits for answers.

The eyes of the nation are focused on another New Year's Eve mystery - the Ben Smart and Olivia Hope case - and Mrs Bentley follows the trial of Scott Watson, who is accused of their murder, with a degree of envy.

She wishes she could attend a trial that would provide answers as to who murdered 15-year-old Kirsty.

"I've taken a particular interest in the trial and I'm thinking of the people involved, of course.

"It's very hard when you've got absolutely nothing to help make up the puzzle of it all. Just to have the opportunity to perhaps get some answers and a face - just to have that opportunity would be a start."

Kirsty Bentley disappeared on the afternoon of December 31 while walking her dog near the Ashburton River, close to her home.

Her underwear was found the next day in bush and the dog was found tied to a nearby tree.

The girl's clothed body was found 17 days later in the remote Rakaia Gorge, 55km from her home.

Mrs Bentley said she understood police were no further ahead in finding the killer and she doubted the culprit would ever be brought to justice.

"They don't seem to have anything - no clues, no lead, no motive."

She has resigned from her position as a caregiver and spends most of her time at home alone. Her husband, Sid, works in Christchurch and her eldest child, John, is studying there.

She said she constantly went over in her head what might have happened to Kirsty in her final hours. It was possible her abductor used her dog, Abby, as a kind of bargaining tool.

"It does make some sense in so much as how on Earth do you manage a girl and a dog - who's jumping around and probably being a pest - so cleanly?

"We constantly try and make some logical scenario as to how it might have happened and what was done. The dog is the big question-mark, really."

Mrs Bentley said it was disturbing to think about what her daughter might have gone through.

"But I'm the sort of person who would rather know ... After this amount of time you just want to understand it."

Mrs Bentley said her biggest fear was that the killer would grow in confidence and strike again.

"There was something in the paper the other day about a girl who had been approached in Wellington. It immediately flashed into my mind, 'Is that the same person? Are they going to attempt it again?' "

The officer who led the hunt for Kirsty, Detective Senior Sergeant Lance Corcoran, retired this month.

He said he felt a great deal of sympathy for the Bentleys. Not being able to give them answers was one of the worst parts of his 36-year career.