Christine Lundy's family believe she and her daughter can finally rest in peace following Mark Lundy's conviction for their murders.
Mark Lundy - pictured during the retrial in the High Court Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
Lundy's conviction yesterday followed a nearly eight-week trial - his second for the murders of Mrs Lundy, 38, and seven-year-old Amber, who he bludgeoned to death on 30 August, 2000.
Mrs Lundy's family, the Weggerys, declined to comment after Mr Lundy was yesterday sentenced to life imprisonment with a 20-year non-parole period but today released a statement thanking Crown prosecutors Philip Morgan, QC, and Ben Vanderkolk.
They also thanked the police involved in both the original investigation into their murders, known as Operation Winter, and those involved in the second investigation, Operation Spring.
"We would also like to thank the families of the prosecution and investigation team for putting up with the long hours spent away from their loved ones," the statement said.
"To the members of the original investigation, Operation Winter, I would like to say that this backs up everything you did so long ago and well done, you got it right."
Mrs Lundy's brother, Glenn Weggery, found the bodies of his sister and niece at about 9am on 30 August.
On the second day of the trial, held in the High Court at Wellington, the defence accused him of being responsible for their deaths - something he vehemently denied.
The defence repeatedly returned to him as a suspect and in its closing address said the police had had tunnel vision, to the extent that they had failed to take a proper look at Mr Weggery.
The jury clearly disagreed and returned a unanimous verdict, convicting Lundy after 16 hours' deliberation.
The family today thanked friends and the wider community for the support shown to it during the nearly 15 years since the murders, "especially in what has been a sometimes harrowing last eight weeks".
"It has been a long hard road to get to where we are now, and we can only hope that this means we can have some closure and that the most important people in all of this, Christine and Amber, have got justice and can finally rest in peace."
*Clarification - For the avoidance of doubt, please note that Radio New Zealand reporter Sharon Lundy is no relation to Mark Lundy.