Author: A.B.

The scene appeared staged: although neighbors reported seeing Kirsty walking along the river around 3:05 pm, there was no forensic evidence—such as blood, hair, or DNA—directly linking her to that spot, and no sign of a struggle. Abby’s calmness suggested the person who tied her up was familiar to both Kirsty and the dog. Despite an extensive search, Kirsty’s whereabouts remained unknown for over two weeks. 

Kirsty Bentley was a typical teenager with a creative streak—she enjoyed drama, poetry, and music, and liked spending time with her friends at Ashburton College. Friends described her as someone who tried to keep the peace in the group. She was close to her parents, Jill and Sid, and her older brother, John. At the time, she had recently started seeing a boy from school.

Discovery of the body
On January 17, 1999, two men searching for illegal cannabis plots found Kirsty Bentley’s body in dense scrub on the north bank of the Rakaia Gorge, near State Highway 72—about 40–50 km northwest of Ashburton. The area was thick with overgrown vegetation, and her body was hidden at the bottom of a steep embankment under branches and leaves. Kirsty had died from a non-accidental, single blow to the back of the head and was found in a fetal position, still clothed except for the underwear left at the river. The secluded location suggested the killer had local knowledge. The pathologist determined she died soon after going missing on December 31, 1998, likely between 3:30 and 7:00 pm. Due to advanced decomposition, it was impossible to determine if she had been sexually assaulted.

The investigation
Over the years, police considered more than 450 persons of interest, including close family members, local farm workers, and individuals associated with a rare green Commer van seen near both crime scenes. Early on, suspicion focused on Kirsty’s father, Sid, and brother, John; however, after years of scrutiny and no evidence linking them to the crime, police publicly ruled them out in 2022.

Attention then shifted to other possibilities:

• Local individuals with knowledge of both Ashburton and the Rakaia Gorge

• Possible cannabis growers or users familiar with remote areas

• Stranger abduction, especially after a reported but unconfirmed sighting of Kirsty in a green van with an unknown man

Yet, the behavior of Abby and the staged scene continued to raise doubts about the stranger theory, suggesting the perpetrator might have been someone Kirsty and her dog trusted.

Police have not been able to find the green Commer van with registration EP9888, despite having its number, a detailed description, and information about its last registered owner. The van’s lack of current registration, its use by transient individuals, and the inability to track down its last owner have all hindered efforts to find it. It’s also possible the van was disposed of or altered, further complicating the search.

Despite advances in forensic science—including new DNA testing on key evidence like the dog lead and underwear between 2018 and 2020—no breakthrough has come.

Fresh public plea
In 2022, police renewed public appeals and offered a $100,000 reward, underscoring that Kirsty Bentley’s murder remains an active, unsolved homicide investigation. This move generated significant public interest and led to a tip naming a new suspect, whose identity has not been made public. According to reports, this individual is connected to two men who were previously investigated but ultimately ruled out as suspects. These men were not Kirsty’s father, Sid, or her brother, John. This connection suggests a new angle or association that had not been fully explored in earlier inquiries, potentially opening up fresh lines of investigation for police.

Even with renewed public interest, a reward, and a new suspect, no arrests have been made, and the case remains one of New Zealand’s most high-profile unsolved murders.

Kirsty’s murder devastated her family and community. While investigative focus has shifted over time—from family, to local suspects, to the possibility of a stranger—the police continue to keep all possibilities under consideration, hoping that new evidence or a crucial tip will finally bring answers.

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