Quakes blamed for increase in homicides | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

The homicide rate in Christchurch has more than doubled, with experts blaming the killings on post-earthquake stress.  

The quake-rattled city has been rocked by five killings in as many months - including two already in 2012.  

Psychologists and welfare groups in the city blame high levels of stress, fear and tension for the increased violence.  

However, senior ranking police officers reject the claims, saying each of the deaths since August - when they allege Hayden Miles was killed - are not linked to the shakes.  

They attribute the high homicide rate to an "unfortunate" statistical blip and point to Canterbury district figures which show a drop in crime since last year's fatal February 22 earthquake.  

Canterbury's new district police commander, Superintendent Gary Knowles, said: "You can't make an excuse for anyone taking another human life.  

"This spate of homicides are, in fact, all unique crimes. This is not a serial killer situation, there's no pattern. Each of them have different circumstances, different type of victims, different types of offenders. It's just unfortunate that they have all occurred within a five-month period."  

Over the past 16 years, the Canterbury region has averaged just over five murders a year.  

According to Canterbury district figures, there hasn't been more than nine homicides in a 12-month period since the 1995/96 financial year.  

During the year to June 30, there were just three, and only five in each of the two previous years.  

But two deaths have already shocked the city this year.  

The body of Papanui barmaid Tracey Lee Morris, 46, was found in an abandoned car near Christchurch airport last Friday, January 6. Keith Donald Bonner, a 53-year-old truck driver, has appeared in court charged with her murder and sexual violation.  

Two days later, 65-year-old Ken Moore was found dead in his Waltham home. A 25-year-old man police say was known to the pensioner has been charged with his murder and has also appeared in court. The accused has name suppression.   

The tragedies follow three deaths in quick succession near the end of 2011.  

Police thought they had a homicide-free year until September 27, when Bronwyn Mary Sadler, 47, was found dead at a house in Spreydon. A 54-year-old man known to her was arrested.  

The next victim was 13-year-old Jade Louise Bayliss - killed in her Barrington St home on November 10. Jeremy George Edward McLaughlin, a 34-year-old labourer has been charged with her murder and the arson and burglary of her house.  

And in December, the missing persons inquiry into the disappearance of 15-year-old schoolboy Hayden Peter Miles was upgraded to a homicide investigation. Soon after his remains were found at a city cemetery and days later a 27-year-old man was arrested and charged with his murder, on August 22.  

Canterbury University sociologist Jarrod Gilbert said New Zealand cities often experienced "anomalies of crime" but added: "The interesting dynamic for Christchurch is whether the earthquakes have had an impact. You certainly couldn't rule it out. Whichever way you look at it, it's a shocking run of murders."