Identity still mystery

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32564, 25 March 1971, Page 2

Identity still mystery

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 24. An inquest into the death last year of a “mystery man,” whose next-of-kin and background cannot be traced in spite of world-wide police inquiries, has been held in the Wellington Coroner’s Court. The Coroner (Mr A. D. McGregor) found that “a person known at the time of his death as Colin Dean Henderson, died on November 10, 1970, at Wellington Hospital, of bronchial pneumonia secondary to barbiturate intoxication.”

The inquest was into the death of Colin Dean Henderson, aged 27, a clerk, of Parkvale Road, Wellington. Mr McGregor said: "The deceased was clearly a man of mystery and his true identity remains shrouded in doubt

“The painstaking worldwide investigations of the police to establish the identity were most impressive. The nature of his true identity remains unresolved, perhaps it will never be resolved.

“I am satisfied that the circumstances surrounding his death have been fully investigated.” Constable T. W. A. Morley, of Wellington, said in evidence he had been in charge of inquiries to identify the dead man. FIRST NOTICE The man had been first recorded as being-in New Zealand when he had begun work as a skilled labourer for the Electricity Department at Manapouri, late in September,

1969. He had then given his next of kin as a grandfather living at an address in a suburb of Melbourne. He had said he had graduated from Melbourne University with a bachelor of arts degree.

Constable Morley said the man had worked at Manapouri for nine months, and had told workmates that he was an Australian, and his parents had been killed there in a crash. This was variously described as being a car crash and a plane crash. Subsequent inquiries showed that he had never been a student at Melbourne University and the man named as his grandfather had not lived at the address given. NEW ACCENT Arriving in Wellington in July, 1970, the man had begun work as a clerk. This time he had given the name and address of a married sister in Canada as his next of kin. He had said he was a Canadian and spoke with a North American accent.

He said he had studied* at Toronto University in Canada and had graduated with a B.A. After this he had been employed by the Canadian Education Board as a schoolteacher.

Inquiries had revealed that the address given in Toronto did not exist, and that the man had never studied at the university, or been employed by the Canadian Education Board.

Constable Morley said there was no record of the man having entered New Zealand or of his having been bom here.

Fingerprints had been circulated to police in Australia, Canada and the United States, as well as being checked in New Zealand, but

this had brought no more information.

National publicity had been given to his death, in an attempt to find his next of kin, and this had opened new lines of inquiry, including one concerning the Cook Islands, which were still being investigated. More inquiries were being made in both Australia and New Zealand but the results of these were not yet to hand, Constable Morley said. Further evidence showed that the man had complained of a lung disease and insomnia; he had been prescribed barbiturates.

Henderson was admitted to Wellington Hospital on November 4,1970, and died there six days later without having regained consciousness.