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A man whose body was found buried in a makeshift grave two weeks after he was allegedly stabbed was an “excellent athlete” and a “very intelligent man,” says a grieving friend.
The remains of Martin Orme Berry were discovered in the backyard of a property he owned in Papanui, Christchurch, on Wednesday after a woman, believed to be cook Rena Maloney, contacted police and told them that he was buried there.
Maloney, who is also known by the surname Joyce, was charged with murder that same day.
John Kirk-Anderson / Stuff
The remains of Martin Orme Berry were discovered on the property in Papanui, Christchurch, after a woman contacted police to inform them of a body.
He did not plead guilty when he appeared before Judge Quentin Hix in Christchurch District Court on Thursday morning.
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A friend of Berry’s, who declined to be identified, told him Stuff he was an “intelligent man” who would be “deeply missed.”
The man met Berry, who was 55 years old and was born in Auckland after his parents emigrated from England in the mid-1980s through cricket.
They quickly became good friends and traveled the North Island together for work.
Stuff
Martin Berry and his partner lived in a rough cast house on Main North Rd.
Berry finally found his career as a warehouseman in Whanganui before moving to Christchurch with his mother in 2002.
The friend said Berry later worked as a warehouseman for Foodstuffs.
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His mother would later move back to the North Island, with Maloney, who Stuff understood she moved to New Zealand over 15 years ago from the UK, and moved to Papanui’s house.
The friend said that Berry had a “very good memory.”
“He had a lot of sports knowledge and general knowledge, so he could enter any of those pub contests and win every time. He was a very smart man.
“He was an exceptional athlete, a very clean type of player, a very good cricket referee. And his general knowledge and demeanor were just amazing. “
John Kirk-Anderson / Stuff
Detectives arriving at the property on Main North Rd, Christchurch.
The man learned of Berry’s death Wednesday through a mutual friend, and said the cricket group of friends are still coming to terms with his loss.
“We miss him.”
Maloney lived in Manawatū, where her ex-husband still lives, and it is unclear how long she and Berry had been in a relationship.
Court documents allege that he fatally stabbed Berry on December 29.
The 55-year-old woman was taken into custody at Thursday’s hearing after her defense attorney, Karen Chalmers, failed to file requests for bail or name expungement.
He must appear in Christchurch Superior Court on February 4.
Following the discovery of Berry’s body on Wednesday, police said they wanted to know of anyone who had been in contact with or visited the occupants of 139a Main North Rd since Christmas Day.
Investigators working on Operation Leaf, the code name for the homicide investigation, continued to examine the 1,100-square-meter property Thursday.
The house has a long driveway and is masked by mature trees and shrubs, while St Joseph’s School, a Catholic elementary school, and the nuns’ residence are on the fence.
Two women, Berry’s mother and sister, are listed on the 2020 electoral roll as residents of the property, but both live on the North Island.
John Kirk-Anderson / Stuff
The body is believed to have remained in the backyard of the house for at least 15 days.
According to property records, Berry purchased the three-bedroom home on Main North Rd in 2002.
Members of Berry’s bereaved family declined to comment Wednesday; An autopsy and formal identification process was carried out on Thursday.
Police said they believed the killing was an “isolated incident”.
“We want to reassure members of the public that there are no general safety concerns for the wider Papanui community.”
The homicide investigation is the third to open in Christchurch in just 13 days.
Anyone with information on Berry’s death should call 105 and request that their details be relayed to the Operation Leaf team.
