GIRL MURDERED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 627, 4 September 1933, Page 5

GIRL MURDERED

(Press Assn.-

KILLED IN GOWSHED victim shot and battered with a pick handle MAN SEEN ESCAPING

— By Telegraph — Copyr.lght).

Taumarunui, Sunday.... A shocking tragedy occurred at about 8.30 o'clock this morning in the small township of Owhango, 15 miles south of Taumarunui when the body of an unmarried girl, Jean Roossoman, 23 years of age, was found at the rear of a milking shed

with a bullet wound in the head and other injuries which had apparently been caused' by a blow from a pick handle which was found lying nearby. It appears that Miss Rosssoman, with Mr. and Mrs. D. Lang and a child aged aboqt 10 years, had been engaged in milking in the shed. After breakfast, Miss Rossoman returned to the shed to clean the cans and Lang went to the paddocks. The children, who were playing on the road, heard the rattle of tins in the shed and going over to find out what they were, found the dpad body of Miss R,osso,man. They immediately called their father and mother. The children state that they saw a' man wearing a white shirt and hlack trousers disappearing across the fields from the direction of the shed. The body, when found, was lying in a erouehing position at the rear of the separator room. The head was badly knocked aboqt and a bullet had apparently entered the skull from the back. When the Taumarunui police arrived they found a pick handle with hair adhering to it, lying near the body while further investigations showed that a bullet was embedded in the wall near where the girl had' been washing the cans. It would seem that the girl was shot through the head from the rear and then struck a violent hlow with the pick handle. So far, no arrest has been made. Two spent cartridges were found in the separator room hut no rifle. Detectives J. Walsh and J. Murray arrived this afternoon and are in charge of the case. ' The deceased girl had been employed by Mr. and Mrs. Lang, with whom she lived. The scene of the tragedy is in the main street of Owhango and is near the railway station.