Nurse Describes Cries For Help By Victim (Press, 25 January 1967)

On 25 January 1967, the case of Doreen Ellen Davis, a 30-year-old Air Force nurse, was the focus of a preliminary hearing in Auckland, following the murder charge of her fellow nurse, Raewyn Kathleen Joy Petley, aged 40. The hearing revealed critical witness accounts, including statements from Sister Marlene Deanna Phipps, who was present the night before the incident on November 19, 1966. Sister Phipps described hearing noises and desperate cries for help from Sister Petley's room late on November 18. After arriving at the Whenuapai air base at 7.10 p.m. that evening, she interacted with both Sister Petley and Davis before going to her own room. Later, while freshening up, Davis brought her a glass of beer, which she shared with both sisters in Petley's room. Phipps noted that after spending time socialising, she returned to her room around 12.30 a.m., at which point she observed that Petley's room light was off and heard the alarming noises coming from within. Concerned, Phipps attempted to check on Petley but found the door locked. As she was preparing to call for help, she heard Petley’s cries for assistance, prompting her to think there was an intruder inside. When she asked Davis about the situation, Davis replied calmly, saying everything was “under control.” Witnesses provided varying accounts of the circumstances surrounding both Petley’s life and Davis’s behaviour leading up to the incident. Squadron Leader Graham Pope confirmed that there were rumours about Petley's sexuality, described as a lesbian, although he admitted he did not believe these claims. Other medical staff indicated that Davis had shown changes in behaviour and mood in the weeks preceding the tragic event, exhibiting surly demeanour and, at times, signs of intoxication. Sister Pamela Jean Miley recounted finding Petley’s body the morning after the incident. After attempts to contact Petley were met with silence, Miley observed through the fanlight that Petley appeared unresponsive. Along with Sister Brittain, they managed to enter the room, where she discovered Petley's body in a state indicating she was deceased. There was a noticeable presence of blood, suggesting foul play. Detective Inspector Brian Wilkinson later testified about the investigation, including that Davis had been clinically dead for a period before being revived on the same day. This complex case of accusations, personal relationships, and allegations posited a convoluted narrative marked by emotional strains and societal pressures within the closed community of the air force medical staff. The preliminary hearing was ongoing, with the prospect of 14 additional witnesses to be heard, indicating that the proceedings would reveal further dimensions to the multifaceted personal dynamics among the staff at Whenuapai air base and the circumstances leading to this tragic event.

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