Raymond LLoyd Cullen
Homicide
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- Gender
- male
- Country
- New Zealand
- Location
- Geraldine, Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand
- Date of birth
- 1956
- Age at first offence
- 45
- Characteristics
- —
- Victim profile
- Desmond Payne, 65
- Method of murder
- St abbing with knife
- Date(s) of murder
- July 27, 2001
- Years active
- 2001
- Date of arrest
- September 12, 2001
- Status
-
Acquitted / overturned
Found not guilty on the grounds of insanity
Case record
People
- Raymond Lloyd Cullen — accused
- Desmond Payne — victim
Background
Desmond Payne was 65 years old. He always appeared at the Crown Hotel in Geraldine on Friday lunchtimes to share a jug with his friends. On 27 July 2001, his friends had no idea that would be the last time they saw him alive.
The offence
On the day of the murder, Desmond Payne finished his jug and walked towards the Geraldine Motors to make a purchase and collect the car. Time ticked on and still Desmond Payne hadn’t appeared to collect his mate.
Ron Henderson became concerned and went to investigate. When he arrived at Desmond Payne’s green Cortina, he was shocked to find his friend slumped in his car, with fresh blood seeping from stab wounds through his clothes.
The attack was described as a random, unprovoked, senseless murder. Raymond Lloyd Cullen attacked Desmond Payne when Desmond Payne returned to his car in the hotel car park. Raymond Lloyd Cullen stabbed him and threw him into his car. As the blood flowed, the life soon drained away from the 65-year-old grandfather.
Investigation
A 40-strong police team was soon employed, and Geraldine was turned over with a fine tooth comb. No motive was established and there was no obvious witness to the attack.
Police placed a mannequin dressed as Desmond Payne up to try and jog people’s memories. Desmond Payne’s car was lifted into a container and sent to Christchurch for examination, while the local rubbish dump was carefully searched.
Arrest
Raymond Lloyd Cullen was finally arrested for the murder of Desmond Payne on 12 September 2001, after seven weeks had gone by.
Trial
After appearing in Christchurch District Court, Raymond Lloyd Cullen entered no plea and was remanded in custody to appear in Timaru District Court on September 25, 2001.
Outcome
Raymond Lloyd Cullen was found not guilty on the grounds of insanity. It was discovered that Desmond Payne’s death had been a random attack, a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Much to the families’ distress, his killer was found not guilty on the grounds of insanity.
Other details
- Desmond Payne’s car was described as a green Cortina.
- Police searched the local rubbish dump.
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