Body found in Waikato layby...

[Beemer]

I see that a motorcyclist was responsible for discovering the badly decomposed body of a woman in a layby the other night. Was it anyone here?

Am I the only one who finds the discovery a bit suspect? He apparently stopped there at 10pm and was having a smoke when he smelled something a bit rotten. Speaking for myself, for a start I wouldn't be stopping at an isolated layby at 10pm at night and start wandering around, but if I did, and I smelled something rotten, I don't think I'd investigate! I'd assume it was rubbish or a dead animal.

Apparently her body was partially buried in scrub on the edge of the layby, so how the hell did he spot her in the (I would imagine at 10pm) dark? And why did he go looking in the first place?

I could be wrong, but what's the bet this 'helpful' motorcyclist has some connection to the deceased?

[Motu]

I always stop in out of the way places,out the back of the back roads...and always have a look around the area.I often wonder what would happen if I found a body.Surely if you stop for a leak you move into the bushes?

[Swoop]

I, for one, do not find the actions of the biker suspicious.

Stopping for a fag or a piss would be common. Good on the biker for finding the body.

Poor bloody cops who had to deal with it. "Couldn't determine ethnicity" means a badly decomposed body...

[MSTRS]

I never return to 'my' dump sites:nono: ....don't you watch CSI??

[Maha]

I never return to 'my' dump sites:nono: ....don't you watch CSI??

Yeah but when you take a 'Dump' i would be very suprised if anyone would want to return the site........:mellow:

[Nasty]

I, for one, do not find the actions of the biker suspicious.

Stopping for a fag or a piss would be common. Good on the biker for finding the body.

Poor bloody cops who had to deal with it. "Couldn't determine ethnicity" means a badly decomposed body...


I would have thought good on'em for reporting it really .. some people wouldn't.

[Beemer]

Maybe it's because I'm a female, but even male friends have said that there is no way they would be investigating strange odours in a layby at 10pm. What made this guy look and what made him think it was anything more suspicious than rotting rubbish or a dead animal? Never smelled a decomposing body before so I have no idea if they have a recognisable smell!

[Deano]

Am I the only one who finds the discovery a bit suspect?

Probably.



He apparently stopped there at 10pm and was having a smoke

Hmmmm, a smoker stopping to have a smoke. Very suspect.



I'd assume it was rubbish or a dead animal.


It was a dead animal.



Apparently her body was partially buried in scrub on the edge of the layby, so how the hell did he spot her in the (I would imagine at 10pm) dark?


He followed the smell maybe ?



And why did he go looking in the first place?


Curiosity ?

[MSTRS]

Yeah but when you take a 'Dump' i would be very suprised if anyone would want to return the site........:mellow:

Yep...and don't call out for a bit of paper - some funny bastard will tell you to not be so mean and just leave it there.

[Ixion]

Well, if I smoked, an out of the way layby on a back road (bit of a contradiction there, surely?) would be a good place to stop. Even at 10pm .Or especially at 10pm. Quiet. Peaceful. Often a good lookout . A man can get close to God in such a place.

And being the nosy bastard I am I might or might not (depending on mood) be nosy enough to go and sniff out what was making such a vile stink, and messing up the peaceful serenity of the place.

Decomposing bodies do have a fairly distinctive odour, but I don't think decomposing human bodies smell much different to decomposing other species bodies - mammals, anyway.

I guess he did indeed get a bit closer to God than usual. RIP , whoever it was.

[Beemer]

Ah, my suspicions must have been piqued because of the following - I'm a female, non-smoker who wouldn't stop somewhere at 10pm and then wander around looking for the source of horrible smells...

[Ixion]

Main thing when wandering around looking for horrible smells, is to be VERY careful where you place your feet. Undergrowth can grow over a body , and stepping on the apparent bump in the ground can be , um, very unpleasant. And take a LOT of scrubbing off.

[dawnrazor]

You can only assume that 'the smell' was far reaching and not localised to a ditch, so he probably smelt it the moment he pulled off his lid...howeer I do agree, I'm not sure I would have gone rooting around in the bush, after dark chasing an odd smell, in a layby............................................. .................................................. ..........I've just re-read that it it sounds filthy doesn't it hee hee hee

[Finn]

The cops on here would confirm that a decomposed body, especially in this heat is the most disgusting, vile smell you could imagine. It doesn't go away that easy either.

If you smelt it, you would have to hunt it down to find out what the hell it was.

[crashe]

If it was a male motorcyclist, which I am picking it is.... he stopped to take a piss........ he didnt do it near the edge of the road, cos of passing cars picking up on their beams his thingee hanging out.......:rofl: or not wanting to be hit by a passing car.

You see it wont be a woman stopping to take a piss on the side of the road...... cos of all the gear to get down around ya ankles to squat... TMI.
Plus ladies wait and go into the toilet.

So like most guys, he would have stepped way over the bushes way off from the side of the road..... and took a leak......

He most likely was standing right where the body was laying as he was having his pee.
While standing there thinking WTF is that smell.....? Took a closer look and holy fark!!!!!!! Then he rung 111.

So good on him...... and no I dont think he is a suspect......... just the poor sod to come across the dead woman.

It aint something this rider will forget in a hurry either..... plus he would have had to wait there until the police arrived at the scene, and spend hours there being questioned..... when all he most likely wanted was to get home to bed.

Having watched the news item....... it didnt look as thou the body was that well hidden.... it was pure luck that the rider stopped where he did.

Now the murderer with be sweating and wondering how long before he/she is caught for the murder.

Once the police establish the identity of the woman, she can then be returned back to her family for a decent funeral, once the autopsy has been completed...... RIP.

[The_Dover]

If it was a male motorcyclist, which I am picking it is.... he stopped to take a piss........ he didnt do it near the edge of the road, cos of passing cars picking up on their beams his thingee hanging out.......:rofl: or not wanting to be hit by a passing car.

How far off the road do you usually walk then to avoid the illumination?

[Maha]

How far off the road do you usually walk then to avoid the illumination?


Or.....humilliation!!.....but not i my case.....:innocent:
I just step off the bike and and go Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....
Flashback !!!......Tall man behind small hedge in Paeroa a few months back?

[Lias]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/3947566a10.html


Waikato layby victim a mum of three
NZPA | Thursday, 1 February 2007
Email a Friend | Printable View | Have Your Say
JOHN SELKIRK/Dominion Post

The murdered woman whose decomposing body was found near the Waikato town of Morrinsville last weekend, has been named as mother-of-three Rowena Kopara.

Police this afternoon released the name of the 35-year-old, who had last been seen on January 20 by relatives in Otara.

Ms Kopara had three children in their late teens and early 20s, police told a press conference a short time ago.

Ms Kopara's naked body was found late on Sunday night at the layby near Patetonga.

It was badly decomposed and police said she had been in the area for between three and 10 days.

A specialist forensic search team had been called in and police divers were to search the Piako River, a short distance from the layby where the woman's body was found.

Police said the water was murky and it was not known how long the search would take.

No personal items were found.

The inquiry was upgraded yesterday to a homicide inquiry when police confirmed she had been murdered.

Police have meanwhile urged people to look closely at anyone acting suspiciously.

Ms Kopara may have been dead for 10 days but police say with the publicity, the killer may now be starting to feel the heat and may be acting suspiciously or out of character.

"There may be some behaviour changes now the body has been found and it is getting some public scrutiny and it might be affecting someone," Waikato police spokesman Tony Sasso said today.

Mr Sasso said police had had a good response to appeal for information about vehicles seen near the layby but the best they could say was that the body had been in the layby for between three and 10 days.

"We are very happy with the level of response from the public. We are working through sightings from the layby."

[Edbear]

Main thing when wandering around looking for horrible smells, is to be VERY careful where you place your feet. Undergrowth can grow over a body , and stepping on the apparent bump in the ground can be , um, very unpleasant. And take a LOT of scrubbing off.


And you know this how?

[Alice]

Possible scenario,.......Its not long dark at 10.00 at night. If you are a smoker needing a fix and a piss then a layby is probably a good place to do so. After having a pee and lighting your fag and maybe wandering around a bit cause its a pleasant still moonlight night and you have nobody to talk to, (except a dead body ) and your a fidgity type of person, you notice a bad smell, not just a bad smell, but a particularly bad smell. Being perhaps... also a inquisitive type of person, you decide to wander towards the odour only to find something you would rather not discover.

Something suspicious about that ! ......I think not.

[jrandom]

OK, I confess. It was me. I dunnit.

[Paul in NZ]

Ex soldier or fire / police / ambo 'knew' what that smell was and did the right thing? 1000 possible reasons. Who knows but I'm sure the boys in blue will cover all bases.

[onearmedbandit]

Nothing suspicious at all. In fact as a smoker I'm going to stop in more lay-bys and investigate any bad smells in the locale. Never know my luck eh?

[KATWYN]

RIP to Rowena.

I couldn't help but notice in the photo the cut and bump on the opposite side of her left eye.....

I hope its not another case of domestic violence to add to the list.

Once again RIP

[candor]

Like the killer is truly sweating given our "justice" system. Interesting how an article said there had been a lot of activity round there. And how come no-one noticed a mum of several missing for says. This smells like more than a dommy, maybe she got on wrong side of wrong people. Mighta been better hidden then pulled forward to be found once they covered all their tracks best as poss. Poor lady - hope they get the right man / people off the street soon, but looks like the evidence will let just 'bout anyone take the rap.

[Fat Tony]

It's unusual to stop in a layby around Leeda and not find a body

[scumdog]

Just heard that to date New York City has had 2 homicides for 8.8 million population base since the start of the new year, piss poor compared to NZs 7 dead eh?

[Beemer]

You see it wont be a woman stopping to take a piss on the side of the road...... cos of all the gear to get down around ya ankles to squat... TMI.
Plus ladies wait and go into the toilet.

No, most ladies aren't vulgar enough to refer to urination as "taking a piss". Peeing on the side of the road can be done though, or are your legs too short to cope with the bunching up of your bike pants? Ladies may prefer to wait for a toilet but you've obviously never toured the back roads of the South Island, have you? Not many loos in Black Forest Station or along the Hakataramea Pass...

[Pixie]

Maybe it's because I'm a female, but even male friends have said that there is no way they would be investigating strange odours in a layby at 10pm. What made this guy look and what made him think it was anything more suspicious than rotting rubbish or a dead animal? Never smelled a decomposing body before so I have no idea if they have a recognisable smell!

Nothing stinky is going to hurt you.It's the ones that are still alive to be wary of

[crashe]

No, most ladies aren't vulgar enough to refer to urination as "taking a piss". I never said I was a lady. I used all sorts of terminology for piddling/weeing/urinating/weeing/ and taking the piss.... in my post :rofl:

Peeing on the side of the road can be done though, or are your legs too short to cope with the bunching up of your bike pants? Yes I am a short person. Plus I do prefer to pee in a toilet

Ladies may prefer to wait for a toilet but you've obviously never toured the back roads of the South Island, have you? No, I havent.

Not many loos in Black Forest Station or along the Hakataramea Pass... Sorry, but where are those places?

See answers in red.

:dodge: :dodge: :dodge: :dodge:

[Brian d marge]

Just heard that to date New York City has had 2 homicides for 8.8 million population base since the start of the new year, piss poor compared to NZs 7 dead eh?
Is that the same New York that has the broken windows scheme. ??? Also the stats in NZ do seem to tend towards a certain group ( no not maori , but social base )

Drugs , now while I dont give a monkeys , a case here in Japan ( a big school here has lost a few teacher due to a drugs bust ) , this highlighted one aspect ,,,in my neighbourhood there are 4 million, i think ,people ,,180 people last year were victims of bag snatch, and I think 1 or 2 ( possibly 0 ) were drug related

No i dont think its drugs ( I actually like some drugs ..would like to see a stoner get into a testosterone fight ...or even play rugby ...Dude ,,you get the ball ,,I m just mellow man,,,,)

I think its a lack of simple human decency towards the other man , caused by ( imho ) insitutionilised disregard for the other person ( trickle down , market forces , )

people who are put in marginalised position by others wanting profit .... ( now I am not talking about a real genuine drop kick hoodie ..) I am convinced if you show someone how valuable they are and give them CLEAR guide lines and a fallback position ,,they will perform to expectations ,,no I dont mean introduce an kanban or jit and give a few people he opotunity to shine
I mean ,,dude ,,its a low skill Job its going to get boring so we are going to rotate u round , then give u responsibility ..possibly in the course of a day ,,,, ( screw that up and your gone )

So ...balls in your court ,,,,,, next person you meet ..try a bit of respect ..for the person ,,make it like its the standard, and not a one off,,, ( help a complete stranger ,,( I do )

Nz people are already known for their kindness,,, but I think its slipping in the new age

Stephen

[elle-f]

Well I dont think its unusual either. Let's take a look at the woman who was murdered. I hope she rests in peace but it sounds like she had a pretty hard life and I feel for her 3 children. They interviewed her mother and her aunty last night on telly and the thing that struck me was the mother saying she wouldnt be able to get over the thought of her daughter lying there for so long rotting - thats true. It's seeming like she knew her murderer. I hope that person is caught soon.

[dawnrazor]

It's unusual to stop in a layby around Leeda and not find a body

I'd thought dogging would have been more common!!!!!!!

[jrandom]

Just heard that to date New York City has had 2 homicides for 8.8 million population base since the start of the new year, piss poor compared to NZs 7 dead eh?

I suspect that if the NZ Police had the NYPD's US$3.3 billion annual budget to play with, we'd be doing pretty good too.

Where's Giuliani when you need him?

[terbang]

Decomposing bodies do have a fairly distinctive odour, but I don't think decomposing human bodies smell much different to decomposing other species bodies - mammals, anyway.


In comparison to animals, we the descendants of apes, have a rather distinctive smell when we decompose. Something to do with the high sugar content in our diet.

[surfer]

How far off the road do you usually walk then to avoid the illumination?

Not very far sometimes.

I was in a van and we stopped by the side of the motorway so I could take a piss. Trouble was there was no where to be descrete so I did the next best thing and went on the side of the van. My mate then drove off leaving me dangling in the slow lane on a busy motorway. Very hard to take a piss and wave to people as they drive by at the same time. I think I pissed off a few cars though but thankfully no bikes.

[jrandom]

In comparison to animals, we the descendants of apes, have a rather distinctive smell when we decompose.

Interesting. Wouldnae thunk it. What's your source for that assertion?

[Beemer]

See answers in red.

:dodge: :dodge: :dodge: :dodge:

My, get out of bed on the wrong side, did we? Sorry if I offended you by implying you WERE a lady. And so what if you're short? I am too and still manage to pee in bike gear without getting it all over myself.

I should have realised that you wouldn't know where the two roads I mentioned were - not exactly suitable for your bike.

[MrMelon]

My, get out of bed on the wrong side, did we? Sorry if I offended you by implying you WERE a lady. And so what if you're short? I am too and still manage to pee in bike gear without getting it all over myself.

I should have realised that you wouldn't know where the two roads I mentioned were - not exactly suitable for your bike.

That's the right attitude to have! What an upstanding lovely lady you are.

[Beemer]

That's the right attitude to have! What an upstanding lovely lady you are.

Oh no I'm not! You take that back!

[elle-f]

They have a guy in custody for this for threatening to kill.

When I was watching the telly about this and they were talking to her mother and aunty - they both said it wasn't unusual for her to take off without notice and go away for days. That in itself was strange since she was a mother of three.

Who knows anyhow.

[crashe]

They have a guy in custody for this for threatening to kill.

When I was watching the telly about this and they were talking to her mother and aunty - they both said it wasn't unusual for her to take off without notice and go away for days. That in itself was strange since she was a mother of three.

Who knows anyhow.

The kids are teenagers........ and one of them was living in aussie....
who has since flown back to NZ for the funeral.

So maybe they were 16 or 17, 18 and 19...... all old enough to look after themselves..... for a few days.

But I dont know the kids actual ages..... but I reckon someone will know that info.

[elle-f]

fair comment. To me it seems odd that somebody would just take off without letting anybody know where they were anyhow.

[Fub@r]

The kids are teenagers........ and one of them was living in aussie....
who has since flown back to NZ for the funeral.

So maybe they were 16 or 17, 18 and 19...... all old enough to look after themselves..... for a few days.

But I dont know the kids actual ages..... but I reckon someone will know that info.

Two are in late teens and one in their 20's was what I heard.

So you have a 35yr old mother who is about to be a grandmother and has a 20yr old child............disturbing maths

[candor]

She was a massage parlour worker - may have done a circuit which would explain a pattern of taking off and keeping out of touch. Night work - day sleep (unless on the unnatural additives).

[rok-the-boat]

Nothing unusual about sneaking behind some bushes at the side of the road to take a leak. If I found a body ... well, I'd probably just leave it lest the cops be as suspicious as you lot.

[avgas]

Just heard that to date New York City has had 2 homicides for 8.8 million population base since the start of the new year, piss poor compared to NZs 7 dead eh?

Yep - was over there in last Nov.
Very different place.
Fuck all cops round too i noticed. Fear the yellow cabbies though - they make the cabbies here look safe

[Patrick]

If she was there for up to 3-10 days in this heat and humidity, she would have been moving in waves... The maggots do that...move in waves. The bottom ones move, which makes the next ones move, like a mexican wave. It actually looks like the person is breathing...sure ain't hard to figure out by looking at it that there is no way it is breathing tho...

Just thought I would share....:sick:

[MSTRS]

Thanks for that Patrick. Brunch is now officially 'off'!!

[McJim]

If she was there for up to 3-10 days in this heat and humidity, she would have been moving in waves... The maggots do that...move in waves. The bottom ones move, which makes the next ones move, like a mexican wave. It actually looks like the person is breathing...sure ain't hard to figure out by looking at it that there is no way it is breathing tho...

Just thought I would share....:sick:

Maggots in Australia must be really pissed off then - they've banned the Mexican wave over there.

[Patrick]

Maggots in Australia must be really pissed off then - they've banned the Mexican wave over there.

Naughty Aussie maggots, they are... getting their Mexican Wave banned...

Identification of the perpetrators is always difficult... they all look the same... "Yep, the fat white one over there... he started it..."

[Lou Girardin]

Well I dont think its unusual either. Let's take a look at the woman who was murdered. I hope she rests in peace but it sounds like she had a pretty hard life and I feel for her 3 children. .

It's a shame she didn't. She abandoned them to her family.
I guess she needed 'space' to party.