Steward's Death Police Evidence Of Inquiries In... (Press, 13 February 1964)

On 12 February 1964, a Magistrate’s Court in Wellington heard evidence concerning a murder charge against 20-year-old John Vincent, a deckhand on the New Zealand Star. The charge pertains to the alleged murder of the ship's chief steward, David Alan Rowe, which is said to have occurred on New Year’s Day between Panama and Christmas Island. The case is presided over by Mr R. D. Jamieson, S.M. William Wallace Thomas Caldwell, an acting-superintendent of the Fiji Police, provided testimony regarding his investigation. Following a report from the New Zealand Star's captain on 14 January, Caldwell boarded the ship on 23 January in Suva, accompanied by a police inspector. At the time, the ship had 12 passengers and a crew of 68. All individuals on board were interviewed during the inquiry. Caldwell reported that in Rowe's cabin, he found what appeared to be blood splatters on the deck and wall. During the search of Vincent’s shared cabin, he discovered three radios and a tape recorder, with some wires extending from one radio. After questioning Vincent at the police station, Caldwell recounted a “violent denial” from Vincent regarding accusations of homosexuality. Vincent vehemently rejected the idea, expressing animosity towards homosexuals. Caldwell challenged Vincent, suggesting that his hatred for Rowe stemmed from purported homosexual advances made by Rowe. Vincent responded that while Rowe may have attempted such advances, he had rebuffed them, leading to Rowe leaving him alone. On the night of the murder, Vincent claimed he departed a crew party at approximately 10.45 p.m. to search for aerial material for a radio. He contended he intended to avoid trouble for taking wire, although he did not find what he was looking for that night. He further stated he had not entered Rowe's cabin on that day or afterward, except for sitting outside. In a significant turn during the investigation, Caldwell noted that on 28 January, he interviewed a seaman named Melvyne Morgan, who suggested that Vincent had confessed to him about having killed Rowe. However, when confronted about this assertion, Vincent denied an acknowledgment of guilt, claiming he had merely been boasting. The proceedings were adjourned until 18 February, as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding Rowe's death continued.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand