Stuff Digital Edition

Elderly engineer in suspected murder-suicide

George Block

An elderly engineer, originally from South Africa, and his wife died in a suspected murdersuicide in south Auckland on Wednesday.

Stuff understands the dead couple were Izak Andries Delport van Blerk and Petronella Erendina van Blerk, aged 81 and 79.

Police were called to their Kowhai Place home of many years on Wednesday afternoon about 3pm after a relative discovered a grisly scene inside.

They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives remained at the scene after nightfall and are treating the deaths as a suspected murder-suicide, Stuff understands.

Petronella’s body was found on the floor with fatal injuries, while the manner of her husband’s death cannot be reported for legal reasons.

Police did not immediately interview neighbours or issue an appeal for anyone else to come forward.

Izak, who went by the name Andri, was a consulting structural engineer.

Until his death he remained registered as both a chartered professional engineer in New Zealand, and also an international professional engineer/Apec engineer, allowing him to practise overseas.

His firm, Antro Enterprises, remains active.

Andri attended the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa’s Western Cape from 1959 to 1964, where he gained a Bachelor of Engineer in Civil & Structural Engineering, according to his Linkedin profile. He later attended the University of Auckland.

He and his wife have lived in New Zealand for more than 20 years. They bought the Kowhai Place house in 1999, property data shows.

Little information is available publicly about Petronella, whose occupation is listed in electoral rolls as housewife.

Stuff sought comment from one of Van Blerk’s adult sons, who declined to comment and requested privacy.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said Andri was friendly, but his wife was rarely seen.

Police have said little apart from issuing brief statements. They are yet to release the names of the couple.

‘‘Police have been making a number of inquiries since they were called to the address at 3.10pm and located a man and woman deceased,’’ the latest police statement, supplied on yesterday, said.

National News

en-nz

2021-06-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/282376927533736

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