KIA ORA TRAGEDY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3713, 12 May 1925, Page 10

KIA ORA TRAGEDY.

TRIAL OF REGINALD HOAD. TO BE DETAINED IN ASYLUM. TIMARU, May 5. At the Supreme Court to-day Reginald Hoad, aged 39, a farm labourer, of Ki» Ora. near Oamaru, was charged with tho murder of his daughter Hazel, aged 17, in the earlv morning of April 3 last. The evidence showed that the accused was obsessed with the idea that Hazel, of whom he was specially fond, might gain the affections of some man, and for more than a year he had made it impossible for her to speak to any man or boy. He finally became to jealous of her (though there was not the slightest ground for his suspicions) that on the night in question he killed her with a tomahawk when she was asleep in bed, at the same time shooting her with » The evidence of two experts in mental diseases —Dr M’Killop. medical superintendent of the Sunnyside Asvlum, and Dr Ulrich, of Timsru—showed the accused to bo suffering from epileptic automatism and suggested that at the time of the tragedy ho would bo unable to realise the nature or quality of his act, or to know that it was wrong. Tho jury acquitted the accused on the ground of insanity. Mr Justice Adams said he fully agreed with the verdict, and lie ordered the accused to be detained in the Sunnyside Mental Asylum till the pleasure of the Minister is known.