Pacific / Cook Islands

Cousin of slain woman in Cooks upset at police communication

06:51 am on 27 October 2016

The cousin of a slain woman in the Cook Islands says she is upset at the poor police communication since the double-murder last week.

Photo: RNZI/Sally Round

Mary Dean and her partner Roger Tauarea were killed by her former partner Chris Rimamotu last Thursday, after he escaped a prison guard while on community release.

Tapairu Tuakeu-Skinner lives on Rarotonga but was in Melbourne when the incident occurred.

She said police have still not given any official information to the family about what happened.

"I'm very frustrated because the whole process has just been.. no productive communication or effective communication has been done for one week now and they've just pushed me to the limit and I have initiated an independent investigation."

Tapairu Tuakeu-Skinner said she was waiting to hear when Mary Dean's body will be released so they can bring her to Tokoroa in New Zealand for burial.