Family tries to solve mystery

Press, 15 June 1983, Page 4

Family tries to solve mystery

Relatives of a Christchurch man who died in bizarre circumstances nine days ago are trying to find out more about, his death. The body of the man, Robert Thomas (“Bob”) Timothy, aged 52, was found in a high-side trailer with 15 sheep which he had been transporting. He was away from his logical route, although he knew Christchurch and its surrounding districts "like the back of his hand,” said his sister, Mrs Hana Casey, yesterday. . The police are not treating Mr Timothy’s death as suspicious, but Mrs Casey and other relatives believe .that more, inquiries could have been made. . ,

'■■■. “There was Some mention after the post-morten examination that he could have died from a heart attack, : but they are still waiting’ for the results of tests. .We just don’t know anything," said Mrs Casey. Mr Timothy, a watersider at Lyttelton, had 10 children.

On the morning of Sunday, June 5, he left his home in Wharenui Road, Riccarton, tor take 15 sheep which he had bought from' a property in Hills Road to a section he owned in Kaiapoi. Mr Timothy picked the sheep up about 10 a.m. in a big red tandem trailer hired from the Avonhead Service

Station. He then went missing. "He was supposed to have started work at 2 p.m. that day,” said Mrs Casey. It was not until 6 p.m. the next day, after a Coutts Island resident had called the police, that Mr Timothy’s body was found among the sheep inside the high-side trailer on Dickeys Road, in the Belfast area. Mrs Casey said that she could not believe that Mr Timothy, who had once delivered coal throughout Christchurch, could have lost his way. He had been in good spirits, and she was sure that he would never have taken his own life. Why he got into the trailer was a mystery, said Mrs Casey. Mr Timothy still had his wallet and car keys when he was found.

Mrs Casey appealed for anyone" who might have seen an orange-red Holden Belmont car and a red highside tandem trailer with “Avonhead Service Station” stencilled on it, parked in Dickeys Road on June 5, or \June 6 to telephone Christchurch 559-825.

A police spokesman said that an inquest into Mr Timothy’s death had been opened ;in the normal way, but there would be no special inquiry because the police were satisfied that there were no suspicious circumstances.