'Worse than the day Scott was killed'

Ewen Kerry MacDonald. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The father of murdered farmer Scott Guy has confirmed there was a rivalry between his son and the man accused of killing him.

But Bryan Guy thought any animosity between Scott and Ewen Kerry MacDonald had been resolved long before the shooting death nine months ago.

MacDonald appeared in the Palmerston North District Court today to plead not guilty on the charge of shooting his brother-in-law in the early hours of July 8 last year.

The 30-year-old denies any involvement in the murder.

He was remanded in custody until May 26, and chose not to apply for bail.

MacDonald faces six other charges, the nature and details of which are suppressed.

He is married to Scott's sister Anna, worked with Scott on the Guy family farm in Feilding, and acted as a pall bearer at his funeral.

Speaking on the steps of court today, Mr Guy said news of his son-in-law's arrest had hit the family like a "tsunami".

The last 24 hours had been worse than the day he was told his son was dead, he said.

He had stayed the night at Anna's house last night, and helped inform her children - aged between two and seven - about their Dad's arrest this morning.

"We explained Dad said he didn't do it but the police say he did. They said 'Dad didn't do it'.

"Today was worse than the day Scott was killed. Back then it was like ripples going through a pond... This one is like a tsunami."

There had been a rivalry between Scott and MacDonald over the running of the family farm a "couple of years back", he said.

But he believed it had been resolved when they had agreed to split up their responsibilities, he said.

He could not believe MacDonald has committed the murder and said if he had, he must be "sick".

"I just can't imagine that he would do that."

MacDonald was taken in for questioning at around 7pm yesterday by police and arrested later that night.

He did not apply for name suppression when he appeared in court today as he appreciated there was great public interest in the case.

A second man, a 21-year-old also from Feilding, has appeared in the Queenstown District Court on arson and criminal damage charges. He is not charged with murder.

He is currently on bail and will reappear at Queenstown District Court on April 18, where his interim name suppression will also be reviewed.

Scott Guy had attended a farming conference with MacDonald, two weeks before he was shot.

Mr Guy co-owned the family farm, which comprises 750 head of cattle, with his sister Anna and MacDonald.

He was the best man at MacDonald's wedding to Anna.

'You think you know someone'

Scott's father Bryan earlier told Radio New Zealand the arrest and ensuing trial would send shockwaves through the Fielding community, he said

"You feel sad really. When you think you know someone and perhaps we didn't know as well as we thought. But we've got a long way to go.

"The ripples that will go through the communities and the families from this is huge."

He said information from the 21-year-old man helped lead to the arrest of the accused murderer.

Mr Guy said news of the arrest came out of the blue.

"There are a lot of mixed emotions at the moment. A bit of disbelief and sadness," he told Newstalk ZB. "I haven't felt angry yet but maybe I will. I don't feel angry."

Mr Guy said he spoke to his son's widow Kylee last night.

"She was pretty teary," he said. "I guess there is some relief there, but a bit of disbelief there."

"I guess to be honest, we've probably all been suspects all the way through.

"In your mind you look at ... various people and think that maybe did they have something to do with it. And you try to think no, no that couldn't happen."

"You don't dwell on it ... but it goes through your mind."

He said his wife Jo and daughter Nikki were in Sydney and would try to get home for the court appearance this afternoon.

Mr Guy was shot in the throat early on July 8 last year. His body was found by a passing motorist.

Chanelle Bullock, sister of Mr Guy's widow, said last night that the family were in shock over the arrests.

"The family's all together and we're dealing with this together, all us girls and Mum and Dad," she said.

"We don't know how we're feeling. It's weird. It's the same feeling as when Scott died - it's the same thing, the same feeling. It hasn't sunk in, so I can't say we're relieved because we don't know."

Ms Bullock said the police called the family yesterday to tell them they had made the arrests. "It's quite full-on for us and an intense time for our family. We just need to organise our lives and sort out our feelings."

Manawatu Mayor Ian McKelvie said the Feilding community would have to come to terms with knowing that there had been an alleged murderer in their midst.

After nine months, the community had not expected such sudden arrests, he said.

"It's almost surprising because you sort of live with these things and you almost think if they [police] will ever get anyone," he said.

"It happened comparatively quickly. You usually get wind of something like this.

"It's even more of a surprise again because [the alleged murderer was] in our community - we were thinking that if it was local then police would have got them by now. Now we've got to live with the fact that we've got these sorts of people in the community."

Arrest brings closure

Mr McKelvie said the arrests would "cheer the community up and clear the air to some extent. And for the police it's a great result because they've put an awful lot of work and it must be a relief for them too".

Several weeks ago, inquiry head Detective Inspector Sue Schwalger said she believed investigators had spoken to the killer.

"It would be naive of me to think that the first time we speak to someone they are going to tell you the truth."

"In the back of your mind you think that could easily be the case."

Scott Guy's pregnant wife, Kylee, was inside the house sleeping when he was killed. She gave birth to son Drover in September. Their older son, Hunter, is 2.

Early this year, police released images of abusive words that were painted on one of the houses on the Guy farm during a night-time vandalism attacked in January 2009.

The phrase "F***n Bitch Slappr" was painted on an outside wall.

Police, who kept a second phrase secret, said at the time that they were unsure whether the vandalism had anything to do with the murder.

They were also unclear at the time if a 2008 blaze that destroyed the couple's home and two moving trailers was suspicious as there was no proof it had been deliberately lit.

Palmerston North Mayor Jono Naylor said he was speechless on hearing the "fantastic news" of the arrests.

"It's been going on for a long time and it's been a real cloud that's hung over the community. Hopefully this will be another chapter of closure for the Guy family."

He said he had come to know Scott's sister Nikki, a city councillor, particularly well

"I don't think it will necessarily be comfort ... But you just hope that Nikki and the rest of her family can find a bit of closure."

The homicide inquiry team spoke to nearly 2000 farmers, informants, past girlfriends of Mr Guy, schoolmates, teachers and family.

Inspector Schwalger said a lot of long hours, meticulous work, and determination had brought the investigation to the point of an arrest, but there was still a long road ahead as the case moved into the prosecution phase.

"The investigation team will remain in place for the foreseeable future to manage that prosecution and to continue to provide support to Kylee and to Scott's family through a very difficult and emotional time," she said.

"I would like to express my thanks to the community for their support and co-operation over the last nine months, and to the wider police team from around the country - their continued support has been invaluable," Ms Schwalger said.

- with NZPA