Grandmother Barbara Catherine Julian Beaten To Death In Kaitaia, Northland - Updated

A 70 year old woman has been found dead in her own home. Neighbours discovered the woman at 91 Matthews Avenue, Kaitaia, Northland at around 5.30pm on 10 November.  Police have said that a man had been seen walking away from the house earlier in the day and a resident of the street had made a call after seeing a suspicious person at the property. It is not known if the call was followed up on.

The woman was later named as Barbara Catherine Julian. Later news reports stated that the 70 year old grandmother had told her niece she was thinking about leaving town because people in the street were frightening her, she said:

"Her aunt had been a gifted and enthusiastic teacher, a lively, intelligent, caring woman with a wide circle of friends - although her peace of mind had been dented in the weeks before her death.
Alone since her husband, Ted,  died five years ago, she had stayed at 91 Matthews Ave with its immaculate garden, but  had become increasingly uneasy.
"She was becoming a little frightened by the people she heard going up and down the street and she was contemplating moving to Whangarei," Ms Lunjevich said.
That would not have been a decision taken lightly."

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A 17 year old youth, Jameel Job,  was initially arrested on an "unrelated matter" but was subsequently charged with her murder.

See also: "It could have happened at any house"

Last Friday another elderly woman was brutally attacked at around 4pm 69 year old Keitha Brown was attacked on Cameron Road, Tauranga and robbed of $12. After spending a night in hospital with injuries that included a broken humerus bone, a swollen cheek, a black eye and a cut to her face she left and is now recovering at home with her family.


View Larger Map, St Catherine's Church, near to where the attack took place
The shocking homicide and attacks on defenseless elderly women come at a time when a survey has shown that 80% of New Zealanders are seriously worried about crime in the country but the majority of them think it doesn't happen where they live.


See also other posts tagged Crime    Murders and  Northland

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