Floral tributes have been laid for Trish McKay. Photo / X
Floral tributes have been laid for Trish McKay. Photo / X
The death of a Kiwi woman killed during a botched robbery outside a Newport Beach mall has prompted outrage and tributes from the California locals.
Patricia (Trish) McKay, 68, was at Newport Beach, California with her husband, well-known Auckland businessman Doug McKay, when the pair were accosted by two men at the upmarket Fashion Island.
Shoppers spoken to outside Fashion Island told Fox 11 that the incident made them fearful.
“It’s scary, and it’s not surprising when you’ve said it’s okay to be criminals,” shopper Martha Bayer said.
Another member of the public, Terry Buchanan, said: “I actually just bought a stun gun that I’m going to keep in my purse now because of what just happened.”
There’s a growing memorial at the mall in Newport Beach, CA where 68-year-old Patricia McKay was killed Tuesday during an attempted armed robbery. McKay was a tourist visiting from New Zealand. One message reads, “Stop the senseless thefts”. pic.twitter.com/7vbxqHaJVk
A traumatised witness recounted the moments an armed thug held a gun to the prominent Kiwi businessman’s temple before McKay was fatally struck by a fleeing car.
The witness, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Herald she was nearly a metre away from where the Kiwi couple were “violently assaulted” and is “deeply regretful” for not intervening.
The woman claimed two offenders approached the McKays and began wrestling with them for their shopping bags before the couple were both shoved to the ground.
“I just saw the thug aggressively grab and wrestle him [Doug] for the bags and he was fighting back. This man just got him to the ground aggressively and radically.
“I was almost going to pounce on that thug and then the gun came out right to his [Doug] head really aggressively and hard. I saw the barrel press on his temple and I just bolted,” the woman said.
Trish Mckay, pictured with husband Doug. Photo / Supplied
They saw Trish getting “violently pushed to the ground”.
“She was putting up a fight and my heart is broken because he [Doug] had to have witnessed that whole thing.”
One of the McKays’ Auckland neighbours was in tears after learning of his friend’s “tragic” death last night.
He said the couple were only just beginning to enjoy life as grandparents and Trish “loved being a grandmother”.
“We are all in shock.”
Yesterday, the McKay family released a statement, saying “no words can express our sadness as we try to come to terms with the loss of our mother, wife, and friend Patricia”.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called Trish’s death “an absolute tragedy”, telling Newstalk ZB’s Kerre Woodham he knew her husband Doug well.
My thoughts are with the McKay family after the devastating loss of Trish. They’re great people and my heart goes out to Doug, their family and all those who knew Trish.
Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson posted a message on social media saying she was “beyond devastated” to hear of McKay’s death.
“Trish was amazing - funny, loyal, and loving. My absolute deepest sympathies to Doug and her family. In absolute shock.”
Three men arrested after pursuit to Los Angeles County
The Los Angeles Times earlier reported a struggle ensued when the couple were approached by the two men, who then dragged Trish into the mall parking lot.
A third man driving a white sedan ran over McKay before the two men fired shots as they led police on a high-speed chase, that reached speeds of nearly 180km/h, into Los Angeles County before their arrests.
Newport Beach Police officials identified the suspects as Jaden Cunningham, 18, of Lancaster, Malachi Edward Darnell, 18, of Los Angeles, and Leroy Ernest Joseph McCrary, 26, of Compton.
All three were booked on homicide, firearm and criminal conspiracy charges.
The suspects led police on a high-speed chase after killing the New Zealand tourist.
The Los Angeles Times reported McCrary has a history of crimes in LA County and was arrested in October 2022 with being a narcotics addict in possession of a firearm.
He pleaded no contest to the felony charge the year after and was charged in a robbery case in September 2023 and again pleaded no contest.
McCrary received a concurrent sentence for both convictions and got two years of probation and three years in state prison, with the sentence being suspended.
NBCLA reported that McCrary had a criminal history, including the robbery of a tourist at gunpoint in Santa Monica in 2022.
Mfat told the Herald: “New Zealand consular officials are providing assistance to the family of a New Zealander killed at Newport Beach. For privacy reasons no further information will be provided.”
Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.
