Queenstown employers fondly remember murdered kiwi woman Kate Bell

The former Queenstown employers of a New Zealand woman murdered in Melbourne by a man she had just started a relationship with have been stunned by the news of her death.

Kate Bell, 31, was killed by Rahul Patel, 29, also a New Zealander, in her apartment early Saturday morning.

Forty minutes after police were reported, Patel was found dead near Richmond’s apartment in an apparent suicide, the Herald-Sun reported.

Bell, who was from Christchurch, worked as an executive assistant and project coordinator for AJ Hackett Bungy in Queenstown for about a year from 2015 before joining the Print Central staff.

AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand CEO David Mitchell said that Bell was a much loved member of the Bungy family and a wonderful person.

“Kate was super positive, she always had a smile on her face and nothing was too much trouble.

“Our hearts go out to his family and friends at this incredibly sad time.”

Kerry Hastie, Print Central’s office manager, said Bell worked for her for about six months from January 2017 before returning to Christchurch.

It was long enough to make a good impression.

“She was a lovely girl, always a very positive and cheerful little thing.”

He summed up the news succinctly: “It’s shocking.”

The Herald-Sun reported that Bell had started a relationship with Patel only a few months ago and there were concerns about his mental health in the days leading up to his murder.

Bell moved to Melbourne in 2018 and worked as a personal assistant at Deloitte before beginning her new role as an executive assistant at construction consultancy Rider Levett Bucknall in May.

Comments on Bell from all over Tasman echoed those of Kiwi employers.

Rider Levett Bucknall’s director, Tony Moleta, told the Herald-Sun that she was a brilliant young woman who would be greatly missed by her colleagues.

“Kate will be remembered as someone who had a kind soul and never said a bad word about anything or anyone.

“She always strived to achieve the best result for everyone around her and our lives will be better for having met her.”

Patel’s LinkedIn profile shows he worked as a facilities manager at CBRE
Global Investors and previously attended the University of Auckland.

Neighbors were reportedly awakened and screamed before a man in a black hoodie was seen fleeing the apartment block around 3.20am on Saturday.

At 4 a.m., Patel was discovered dead nearby, the Herald-Sun reported.

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