John Beckenridge, left, and Mike Zhao-Beckenridge Photo: SUPPLIED
Warning: This story discusses details of suicide.
A man who was "controlling, coercive and running out of options". This is how John Beckenridge has been described by a psychologist who believes the stepfather committed a murder-suicide.
"It was like he possessed Mike as a son rather than loved Mike as a son," the psychologist told the Coroner's hearing on Wednesday.
Swedish-born helicopter pilot Beckenridge broke a court order by collecting his 11-year-old stepson Mike Zhao-Beckenridge from his Invercargill school on 13 March 2015.
A week later, Beckenridge's 4WD Volkswagen Touareg went off the cliff near Curio Bay, in Southland. But when police recovered the vehicle there were no signs of any bodies and the two have been missing since.
However, Mike's mother Fiona Lu is convinced her son is alive and that her former partner, Beckenridge, staged the pair's death after she moved Mike from Beckenridge's Queenstown home to Invercargill with her new partner, Peter Russell.
Now, Coroner Marcus Elliot is looking into the case at the Christchurch District Court to consider whether it is likely the pair are dead.
A 'bleak future'
On Wednesday, the court heard from a registered psychologist who took a deep dive into the Beckenridge case to provide his expert opinion to police.
The psychologist, who cannot be named, said Beckenridge struck him as an orderly person who was very "controlling and coercive" particularly towards intimate partners.
"He was used to winning. If you didn't give him something, things would turn drastic," the professional said.
Leading up to the disappearance, Beckenridge was nearing rock bottom. Mike was permanently in the care of Lu and Beckenridge had turned to "last resort thinking", the psychologist said, adding the care arrangement was a "tipping point" and he was "running out of options".
"He is looking at a bleak, meaningless future without Mike in it."
The psychologist opined Beckenridge believed he was rescuing Mike from an "unhappy situation".
Beckenridge blamed Lu for the separation and wanted revenge after she entered a new relationship with Russell, the psychologist said.
Taking her son was a form of punishment, he said.
"He wanted care and control of Mike and wanted to deprive Fiona of that."
While the psychologist accepted there was "a possibility" Beckenridge and Mike were still alive, he believed the probability of this was lower than the probability of murder-suicide.
"His [Beckenridge] state of mind is consistent with committing murder-suicide, I believe," the psychologist said.
A mother's hope
In a statement read to the court, Lu said she firmly believed Beckenridge had the skill and ability to survive and even without Mike, he would not be suicidal.
She said Mike did not want to die and that he was "brainwashed" by his stepfather.
"I miss my son and I think about him every day. I believe Mike will come back to me one day."
She said Beckenridge had taken her son "out of hatred" towards her.
The Minecraft message
Earlier in the day, the court heard evidence that Mike's best friend believed Mike had reached out to him eight months after he disappeared.
A missing persons poster was distributed around Gili Island in hotels and resorts after a woman who was holidaying there claims to have spotted the pair three months after their mysterious disappearance. Photo: Supplied / Coroner's Court
The claimed communication was through the online game Minecraft which the pair previously played together, Detective Jeremy Dix, who carried out an extensive investigation into the Beckenridges' whereabouts and had spoken with the boy, told the court.
The friend said he was messaged by an unknown user on the platform in November 2015 referencing a username only the two knew about. He believed it was Mike.
The boy tried to contact the user but they had logged off. He said Mike had come up with the username in 2014 when he was helping set up his account, warning his friend to not use his real name to avoid bullying online.
"Mike was pretty good at sticking up for himself online and could be brutal at putting people down," Dix said, quoting the boy.
The boy's mother had since purchased a new game for him, the same game Mike had started playing before he disappeared.
It was hoped that Mike would contact his friend through the platform but this has not happened.
However, Dix believed the boy was "mistaken" and said there was a possibility Mike could have mentioned the username to another person without the friend knowing.
Dix also said the boy, who was around 14 at the time he spoke to police, had changed some details of his evidence.
The detective had made multiple inquiries with various gaming platforms and software, requesting information on any usernames that could be associated with Mike, but those inquiries were unable to be progressed.
John Beckenridge's car was found at the bottom of an 88m cliff near Curio Bay. Photo: RNZ / Ian Telfer
Last week, at the outset of the inquest, Lisa Preston KC outlined the case. She said Beckenridge met Mike's mother, who is from China, in 2006. Lu's parents were raising Mike at the time.
The pair later moved with Mike to Queenstown. Their relationship broke down in 2014. Shortly after that, Lu moved to Invercargill.
In February 2015, the Queenstown Family Court made an order that Lu should have care of Mike.
Mike was unhappy to be taken away from his stepfather and was secretly communicating with him by email, pleading for Beckenridge to come to take him away from his mother and her partner.
Mike told Beckenridge he was misbehaving so he could be sent back to live with his stepfather. He also called the police on one occasion, saying his mother had assaulted him in the hope he would be sent back to Queenstown.
On 20 March, Beckenridge's friends began receiving "concerning" texts from him, stating the "Gestapo" was after him and Mike, and they would soon get on the "Midnight Express" for departure.
On 22 March, items belonging to the Beckenridges such as clothes and car parts washed ashore in the Curio Bay area. Soon after, Beckenridge's vehicle was found at the bottom of the cliff.
The police national dive squad was able to investigate the wreckage on 29 March but it wasn't until 6 May that the vehicle could be recovered. No bodies were found.
To date, police have had 60 suspected sightings of the Beckenridges or their vehicle, some of which have been deemed unlikely or eliminated.
Information about possible sightings continues to be reported from within New Zealand and from Kiwis overseas.
The hearing continues.
* This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.
Where to get help:
Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357
Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202
Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7)
Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 (8am-12am), or email talk@youthline.co.nz
What's Up: free counselling for 5 to 19 years old, online chat 11am-10.30pm 7days/week or free phone 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 11am-11pm Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm or text 832 Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and English.
Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254
Healthline: 0800 611 116
Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
OUTLine: 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm)
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.