Kirsty Marianne Bentley was a teenager living in

Ashburton, New Zealand Ashburton ( mi, Hakatere) is a large town in the Canterbury Region, on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. The town is the seat of the Ashburton District. It is south west of Christchurch and is sometimes regarded as a satellit ...

, who went missing while walking her family dog on the afternoon of 31 December 1998. After an extensive search lasting several weeks, her body was found in dense scrub approximately 40 km away. The

New Zealand Police The New Zealand Police ( mi, Ngā Pirihimana o Aotearoa) is the national police service and principal law enforcement agency of New Zealand, responsible for preventing crime, enhancing public safety, bringing offenders to justice, and maintai ...

consider the case to be a

homicide Homicide occurs when a person kills another person. A homicide requires only a volitional act or omission that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from accidental, reckless, or negligent acts even if there is no inten ...

, and it remains one of the highest-profile unsolved murders in New Zealand.

Early life

Kirsty Marianne Bentley was born on 18 January 1983 at the Christchurch Women's Hospital. She was the second child of her parents, Jill and Sidney Bentley; she had an older brother, John. Bentley was by all accounts a normal teenager. Her mother has described her as vibrant, honest and compassionate. She was confident and direct with people she knew, but could be shy and reserved with those she did not. Bentley had a strong creative streak that she expressed through drama classes and poetry. She attended

Ashburton College Ashburton College is a state coeducational secondary school located in Ashburton, New Zealand. It opened in 1965 following the merger of two Ashburton secondary schools: Ashburton High School and Hakatere College, and moved to its current site ...

, and at school she was well liked and had a close-knit friend group. She had recently begun dating a local boy from one of her classes.

Disappearance

On the day of her disappearance, Bentley met a friend at the Ashburton library at around 10:30am on 31 December 1998. After doing some shopping, they had lunch at McDonald's around midday. Bentley was dropped off at her home by her friend's sister at around 2:30pm. After returning home, her brother John told her that her boyfriend had called and left a message, asking her to call him back. Phone records show she made a call to her boyfriend at 2:38pm, but he wasn't there so she left a message asking him to call her back. From here, it appears Bentley decided to take the family's black

Labrador , nickname = "The Big Land" , etymology = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Canada , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 ...

dog, Abby, for a walk. This was not unusual for Bentley; she often took the dog for a walk to pass the time. John did not hear her leaving the house. A neighbour witnessed her walking by his house with the dog at 3:05pm, but from this point on the exact timeline of what happened to her cannot be clearly established.

Search

Bentley's boyfriend called back at 4:30pm, and at this time John noticed his sister was still absent. When his mother, Jill, returned home from work at around 5:15pm, he immediately told her Bentley had not come home. After calling Bentley's boyfriend to confirm he did not know where Kirsty was, Jill conducted the first search, by walking the route Bentley would normally take down to the Ashburton River. However, she was becoming increasingly anxious and soon decided to turn back. After returning to the house, she and John agreed to wait until 6pm before conducting another search, in case Kirsty came home of her own accord. John left to search the dog walking route just before 6pm, and shortly afterwards Kirsty's father, Sid, returned home. When he was told Kirsty was missing, he immediately notified

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

. After Police became involved the search rapidly grew more intense throughout the evening, with a mixture of police staff, family members and friends canvassing the area looking for Bentley. This first search continued through the entire night. Nothing was found. The official

search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...

operation began at 8am the next day. At around 10am, the family dog, Abby, was found tied to a tree in a patch of dense foliage beside the Ashburton River, close to Robilliard Park. The general area had been searched the previous night, but the dog had not been found; the dense foliage means it is possible she was missed during this search. The dog was found tied to a tree with a lead of the same type that the family owned, however the family initially believed the lead did not belong to them. Nearby two items of clothing, underwear and boxer shorts, were found. These were later confirmed to belong to Bentley. Over the next 16 days, police and volunteers meticulously searched the Ashburton area of

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. ...

. Initially the search was focused on the Ashburton township but it expanded out to cover a much larger area of Canterbury. The

New Zealand Army , image = New Zealand Army Logo.png , image_size = 175px , caption = , start_date = , country = , branch = ...

sent troops from

Burnham Military Camp Burnham, also known as Burnham Camp, is the largest army base in New Zealand's South Island. It is located 28 kilometres south of Christchurch on the Canterbury Plains in the Selwyn District, close to the town of Dunsandel. Burnham was named af ...

to help in the effort also.

Discovery

On 17 January, two men in the Camp Gully area of Rakaia, roughly 40 km away from Ashburton, found a badly decomposed human body lying in a patch of overgrown scrub and planted pine. The body was later confirmed to be Bentley's. The body was lying at the bottom of a steep embankment, covered in a thin layer of branches and leaves. She had been placed in the

fetal position Fetal position (British English: also foetal) is the positioning of the body of a prenatal fetus as it develops. In this position, the back is curved, the head is bowed, and the limbs are bent and drawn up to the torso. A compact position is ...

and was fully clothed in what she had last been seen wearing, with the exception of the underwear that had previously been found at the scene of her disappearance. A large

paddock A paddock is a small enclosure for horses. In the United Kingdom, this term also applies to a field for a general automobile racing competition, particularly Formula 1. Description In Canada and the United States of America, a paddock is a small ...

was at the top of an embankment above her, and the location was close to State Highway 72, part of the

Inland Scenic Route The Inland Scenic Route is a touring route in Canterbury, New Zealand, Canterbury, New Zealand. In the north, the route starts in Amberley, New Zealand, Amberley and in the south, it ends at Orari Bridge where it meets New Zealand State Highway ...

. The area she was found is known for being used by illegal

cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: ''Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternatively ...

growers, and the men who found her were out looking for a cannabis patch. Initially they were reluctant to contact police, but decided the discovery was too important not to report.

Investigation

After the discovery, Police closed the scene and ordered a no-fly zone over the area as they conducted their investigation. They conducted an extensive scene examination over several days, and took plaster casts of tire tracks in the area. It was the height of summer, and so Bentley's body was in an advanced state of

decomposition Decomposition or rot is the process by which dead organic substances are broken down into simpler organic or inorganic matter such as carbon dioxide, water, simple sugars and mineral salts. The process is a part of the nutrient cycle and is e ...

. She was recovered and transported to

Christchurch Hospital Christchurch Hospital is the largest tertiary hospital in the South Island of New Zealand. The public hospital is in the centre of Christchurch city, on the edge of Hagley Park, and serves the wider Canterbury region. The Canterbury District Heal ...

where a

post-mortem An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any dis ...

was conducted. It took three days before

dental records The Ballistics were a ska band from Ipswich, England. Formed in 2002, they have built up a healthy following across the UK and have garnered airplay in the U.S., Germany, Argentina and Brazil. The band's first album, '' Go Ballistic'', was releas ...

were used to formally identify the body. Bentley was killed by

blunt force trauma Blunt trauma, also known as blunt force trauma or non-penetrating trauma, is physical traumas, and particularly in the elderly who fall. It is contrasted with penetrating trauma which occurs when an object pierces the skin and enters a tissue ...

to the right-side of the back of her head. The blow or blows was inflicted with enough force to severely fracture her

skull The skull is a bone protective cavity for the brain. The skull is composed of four types of bone i.e., cranial bones, facial bones, ear ossicles and hyoid bone. However two parts are more prominent: the cranium and the mandible. In humans, the ...

. The pathologist determined she would have died shortly after the wound was inflicted. Police initially withheld her cause of death from the public for operational reasons. The pathologist believed she was killed soon after she went missing, and that it was likely that she was placed in the Camp Gully area the same night, based on an examination of her stomach contents and the state of her body. Police asked for help from the public regarding vehicles that may have been seen in the area at the time. They also asked for

growers to come forward if they had seen anything. These calls to the public did not reveal anything useful.

Funeral

A funeral for Bentley was held at St Stephen's Anglican Church in Ashburton on 25 January 1999. Between 500 and 700 people attended. Bentley's body was

cremated Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning. Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India and Nepal, cremation on an open-air pyre i ...

, and her ashes sealed in a steel urn. The urn was buried in a specially planted memorial garden at the family home. After Sid's death in 2015, the ashes were transferred to Bentley's mother, Jill.

Media coverage

Media coverage of the case was extensive, making it one of the most high-profile unsolved crimes in New Zealand history. At the time, all major news outlets in New Zealand closely followed the case. The intensity of the coverage was both a help and a hindrance to the investigation. For instance, the men who found her body cited seeing Bentley's mother on evening news television broadcasts as the reason they had decided to come forward, despite the fact they were engaged in an illegal activity when they found her. However, the relationship between the media and the police and family was also strained at times. Decisions by media to publish reports that Bentley's body had been discovered before she had been formally identified were publicly criticised by police. In addition, the family expressed distress at the pressure they received from media during the several days that Bentley's body remained formally unidentified.

Suspects

Police have stated that hundreds of individuals have been considered suspects at one time or another, and a list of several hundred people have never been formally eliminated from the enquiry. At times the list of suspects has been as small as 20 people. Some possible suspects have received media attention in relation to the case.

Sid and John Bentley

At an early stage in the case, media reported that Sid and John were considered suspects in Kirsty's disappearance. Both denied any involvement, although John acknowledged in media interviews that it was only common sense that

should consider them as suspects. Police later confirmed that they were considered suspects in the investigation. Police conducted a scene examination at the family home in the early stages of the investigation, including carrying out

Luminol Luminol (C8H7N3O2) is a chemical that exhibits chemiluminescence, with a blue glow, when mixed with an appropriate oxidizing agent. Luminol is a white-to-pale-yellow crystalline solid that is soluble in most polar organic solvents, but insolub ...

testing. However the tests did not find anything of value to the investigation. Sid was unable to provide a strong

alibi An alibi (from the Latin, '' alibī'', meaning "somewhere else") is a statement by a person, who is a possible perpetrator of a crime, of where they were at the time a particular offence was committed, which is somewhere other than where the crim ...

for his whereabouts on that day. He initially claimed he had been in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

and Lyttelton at the time, but later claimed he had hit his head on a cupboard door and forgotten that he had actually been in Ashburton for part of the day. His exact whereabouts at the time remain unknown. Family members have stated they believe Sid was embarrassed to admit whatever it was that he was doing on that day, but they do not believe he was involved in the murder in any way. Police later consulted retired British

Detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...

Inspector Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...

Chuck Burton, who stated that in his opinion, the perpetrator was likely to have known Bentley and been close with her, based on the nature of the crime and the way her body was left at Camp Gully. Despite this, police never laid charges against either Sid or John, suggesting no strong evidence of their involvement was ever found. In 2018, Police confirmed they do not believe Sid or John were involved in the crime.

Green van

In the months after Bentley's death, Police asked the public for information about a green Commer van, registration number EP9888, that was of interest to the inquiry. The van was described as a 1961 model set up to be used as a camper, with a distinctive

Commer Commer was a British manufacturer of commercial and military vehicles from 1905 until 1979. Commer vehicles included car-derived vans, light vans, medium to heavy commercial trucks, and buses. The company also designed and built some of its own ...

branding badge attached to the front. The van was either blue or a faded blue-green. It was last registered with the NZTA in 1995. This type of van was commonly used by tourists and drifters at the time, and in many cases these vehicles were not registered. The van was rare; as few as 2 matching its general description are believed to have ever been in New Zealand. An experienced mechanic originally reported the van to police after seeing it in the area around the time of Bentley's disappearance. Due to the distinctive nature of the van and the man's experience with them, he took special note of the van at the time and was able to give a highly detailed description of it. The van was also seen by other witnesses in the Ashburton area in the weeks before Bentley's disappearance, and there were reports it was also seen in the Camp Gully area. Police believed that such a distinctive vehicle could not go unnoticed by the public, and a sighting could lead to a break in the case. Many people came forward to police with possible sightings, but all were discounted as not being the van that police were seeking; the distinctive nature of the van made it very easy for them to rule out mistaken sightings. No further leads on the camper were ever revealed, and it has never been found. In addition to this, police distributed fliers asking for information on a girl seen near the van on Chalmers Avenue, close to where Bentley had disappeared. The girl was known to the

dairy A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting or processing (or both) of animal milk – mostly from cows or buffaloes, but also from goats, sheep, horses, or camels – for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on ...

owners in the suburb of Netherby as a customer. However, despite this, and repeated public requests by police, the girl never came forward. Her identity and her connection to the suspicious van remains unknown.

Russell John Tully

In March 2017 media reported that police were investigating whether Russell John Tully, a local man who murdered two staff members at the Ashburton

Work and Income The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) (Māori: ''Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora'') is the public service department of New Zealand charged with advising the government on social policy, and providing social services. MSD is the largest public servi ...

office in 2014, may have been involved. Tully had been known to camp in the area of Ashburton from which Kirsty went missing. Tully strongly denied any involvement. In May 2018 Police announced they had eliminated Tully from the enquiry. He had provided a detailed account of where he had been living and working during the time Bentley disappeared. Police confirmed he had not originally been interviewed because he was living in

Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...

at the time, and was no longer suspected of any involvement.

Others

After Sid's death in 2015, an unidentified woman came forward to say that she suspected her ex-boyfriend had been involved in the murder. He had been a suspect in the original investigation, and they had both been interviewed by police and media at the time in relation to the case. According to an interview with her in 2015, her ex-boyfriend, while intoxicated, had admitted his involvement to her on several occasions. It is unclear whether she ever came forward to formally change her statement to police.

Recent developments

In 2014 the case was transferred from

Detective Inspector Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...

Greg Williams to Detective Inspector Greg Murton. At the time he commented that the investigation was open and would continue to be until it was resolved. In 2015 Bentley's father, Sid, died of

esophageal cancer Esophageal cancer is cancer arising from the esophagus—the food pipe that runs between the throat and the stomach. Symptoms often include difficulty in swallowing and weight loss. Other symptoms may include pain when swallowing, a hoarse voice ...

. His death briefly renewed public interest in the case. In 2018, Police confirmed that Russell John Tully was no longer of interest to the enquiry. In late 2018, almost 20 years after the disappearance, Detective Inspector Murton announced that there had been advances in DNA testing that he hoped could lead to a break in the case. Items of evidence including the dog lead and underwear have been submitted for further testing at

Environmental Science and Research The Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) is a New Zealand Crown Research Institute (CRI). Its purpose is to deliver scientific and research services to the public health, food safety, security and justice systems, and the enviro ...

. The case is still under active investigation, with Detective Inspector Murton stating in 2018 that "the case is still open and being investigated." In July 2022 the New Zealand police offered a $100,000 reward for information or evidence leading to the identify and conviction of the person or people responsible for her death.