MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31060, 16 May 1966, Page 1

MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER

Mrs Kievet’s Body Found Buried (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 15. A 36-year-old man was arrested at midnight on Saturday and charged with the murder of Mrs Elizabeth Anne Kievet, aged 37, of Seymour Road, Henderson.

The man was arrested by Detective Inspector J. F. Stevenson, who directed police inquiries into the woman’s disappearance, and Detective Sergeant B. D. Mills, of the Mt. Albert Criminal Investigation Branch.

He will appear in the Auckland Magistrate's Court tomorrow.

The unclothed body of Mrs Kievet was found in a shallow grave near the eastern bank of the Gratia stream at Henderson yesterday afternoon.

This brought to a climax one of the biggest searches of its kind in New Zealand. In the 10 days it lasted, hundreds of police and volunteer helpers became involved. Many were on the job from May 4, two days after Mrs Kievet disappeared while cycling to work at a Henderson vineyard. The build-up of men and machinery reached a peak yesterday when about 250 men were employed. The body, which had been disembowelled, was buried under about 18 inches of soil a few feet from the water and about 30 yards from the junction of the Oratia stream and the Glen Eden creek at the end of Station road. Under Logs The grave was partly concealed under several dead logs at the bottom of a steep bank. The spot was about a chain from the deep pool where navy frogmen found human organs just over a week ago.

It was found by Detective Constable B. F. McKenzie. Detective Inspector Stevenson said that the area where the body was found had been cleared of scrub to prepare for a close pattern search of the ground. A police pathologist, Dr. F. J. Cairns, was called to the grave and, at dusk, the remains were shifted to the Auckland mortuary, where he carried out a post-mortem examination. Decomposition did not per- ’ mit a quick identification but police confirmed that the body was Mrs Kievet’s yesterday. Formal evidence of identification will be given at an inquest tomorrow. Water Trouble Plans to lower the levels in the streams yesterday were beset with troubles. Heavy overnight rain in the Waitakere watershed burst the dam near Seymour road in the afternoon and at the other site, mud clogged the giant, tractor-driven pump. Mr Stevenson said the police were reorganising their efforts to continue inquiries into the case. Today, the acting national head of the Criminal Investigation Branch, Detective Superintendent R. J. Walton, arrived from Wellington and conferred at length with senior police at the Henderson stallion. Mr Stevenson said the relaI fives of the dead woman

joined him in thanking the many volunteer helpers and also firms and local bodies which lent equipment. The search controller, Sergeant R. B. Stewart, said tonight that public support was outstanding.