TRAGIC STORY OF LIVERPOOL MURDERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 214, 4 May 1932, Page 5

TRAGIC STORY OF LIVERPOOL MURDERS

■ (Press. A,ssn.—

INQUEST OPENED STATEMENT BY ACCUSED .MAN DESCRIBES EVENTS LEADING TO SHOOTINGS INCIDENTS IN BOYHOOD

:By Teleg" aph— Ccpyrlght).

Rec. May 3, 7.40 p.m. SYDNEY, Tuesday. : The coroner, Mr. P. S, Coolman, opened * an inquiry to-day into . the 'deaths pf Mr. , Frank Willfinson 'and IVjiss Dorothy Denzel, the victims of th'e Liverpool tragedy on April 11. A surgihg crbwd tried in vain to gam admittance to the Court, where Wilham Moxfey Was in .cuistody on. the charge of murdermg the couple. . Medical evidence disclosed that Wilkinson was shot in the back of the head at close range, his skull'being in fragments. . Gun wads and 72., pel- ■ lets of shot were extracted. ,Miss De'nzel's head was- alsb injured hyt •g.un sho.t fire from the same, position. She had also been violated, apparently 'hefore death, , , t A statemept signed by ;Moxley was read in the course of which he' admitted having come upQn the pair sitting on. the grass on the Strath-, field golf links with their sports car nearby. Moxley was then driving a trtiek. He wanted money and decided. to, challenge Wilkinson who replied thathe had only 7/-. Miss .Denzel placedher hand in Wilkinson's pocket,: extracted the money, and. handed .it to Moxley, who then decided to steal their car, as his own truclc was hard to start. At Point of Gun He compelled tlie pair at the poi'nt •of a gun which he possessed to get into the car, saying. he was going to • take them away. Without warning Wilkinson attacked him arid a good fight ensued. The girl seerned terrified, ;but did not call for assistance. Moxley continued:. "I 'must have got in first and I tied Wilkinson's hands behind his hack. I made them get into the car and drove them to Liverpool. There we had apother fight, I do not remember what happened. My mind was afterward a blank. I never saw ^these people before and I regret .having done them any harm. I am very sorry. "My own father was shot in the head and died, my own brother was also shot dead when I was ten years old. I was discharged by the Childrens' Court. "I firmiy believe that what happened was fated to happen. Two years ago I was shot througfi the head and nearly lost my life doing service to the public. I am unable to control my temper. The only explanation I can make is that I unconsciously did this thing because I suffered pains in the head." Replying to police questions, Moxley said that nobody else was with hina on the night of the tragedy. Detective Bowie gave evidence that some years ago Moxley, who was known to the police, was shot in the head. Two men were charged with this crime, but were acquitted. Considerable evidence was given m regard to Moxley's movements before and after the Liverpool crime, and also in regard to exhibits discovered at his home at the scene of the burials. The inquest was adj.ourned.