Auckland teen charged with murder of US PhD student, woman accomplice also in custody
Auckland
Police arrested a 16-year-old male and a 32-year-old woman in connection with the murder of American PhD student Kyle Whorrall. The incident occurred late night on April 19 at a St John's Road bus stop in Auckland.
After an intensive investigation in
Operation Aberfeldy
, police executed a search warrant at a Beach Haven residence on Auckland's North Shore, which resulted in the arrest of a 16-year-old male, who was charged with robbery and murder. Due to his age, his identity is protected by law.
A 32-year-old woman from the same area was also arrested and charged with being an accessory after the murder. Court documents allege that she 'actively suppressed' evidence to help the teenager evade capture by selling a vehicle used in the crime.
Both individuals appeared in Auckland courts today (April 24) and have been remanded in custody until their next appearance in the High Court on May 14.
Detective Inspector Glenn Baldwin also confirmed that a black SUV involved in the crime has been located and seized for forensic examination. He stated that the investigation is far from over, as police believe other individuals were present in the vehicle during the assault.
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Baldwin addressed the media during a press conference on Tuesday, stating, 'The Operation Aberfeldy team commenced investigations into this vehicle of interest and its movements and I can confirm we have now located this vehicle on the North Shore and it has been seized by police with a detailed forensic examination under way.'
Approximately 100 people gathered at the bus stop on Blackett Crescent to honor Whorrall's memory on Thursday( April 24) morning. Friends and flatmates described him as a gentle, kind, and thoughtful individual with a passion for entomology and a love for board games and sewing.
'His life was taken in a foreign land. This tragedy has affected us all very deeply. So today we gather here to show our aroha for his family, his friends and colleagues," the speaker said. 'We gather in solidarity, in love and pain. We will not fully understand how hard and how painful this must be [for his family].'
Whorrall, 33, a doctoral candidate in entomology at the
University of Auckland
, was assaulted around 10 pm while waiting alone at the bus stop. He suffered multiple head injuries inflicted by a "long" weapon and later died in the hospital.
The investigation is still ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact the police online or by calling 105 using the reference number 250419/9858. The police said information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers at 0800 555 111.
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