88-year-old Ronald Russell Allison died in a suspicious house fire in the early hours of 25 January 2013 at his Te Karaka home near Gisborne.
Allison was a World War II veteran, a loving dad and granddad, a widely respected farmer, and a devoted husband to wife Marie, who died seven years before he did.
The position of the 88-year old’s remains indicated that he may have been trying to get out of bed at the time of his death. His knees were hanging out over the edge of the wire mattress.
On the day before his death, Allison received an abusive phone call that lasted 22 minutes, from someone known to him and to his son, John. The call was of a threatening nature.
Allison had two children: John and Lynne.
A forensic locksmith proved that the back door to Allison’s house had been unlocked. It can only have been opened from the inside as the only key for it was inside the house.
John ensured both doors were locked when he left the house. He left the front door key in the usual place, on a water tank outside the house. Only a very small group of caregivers and one other family member knew where the key was kept. The key has never been located.
A few months after Allison’s death, police released an image of a blue 2000 Nissan March hatchback, registration GAU331, that travelled between Tauranga and Gisborne on January 24 and 25, and sought information on sightings of the car, which was believed to have been driven by a middle-aged Caucasian woman.
Cellphone tower data shows that they drove to Te Karaka, via the Waioeka Gorge, on the evening of January 24, that they arrived at Te Karaka around 9pm, and that they sent a text message from Te Karaka at 10.47pm.
Shortly after 6am the next morning, they texted their employer and said “Do me a favour. If anyone contacts you tell them I have been with you all night. I’ll explain later”.
When police spoke to this person they were unhelpful and did not answer questions.
In November 2020, Police offered a $100,000 reward for material information or evidence which leads to the identity and conviction of any person or people responsible for Allison’s death. The reward has now expired.
The Police have acknowledged that there is much public speculation about who is responsible for Allison’s death; in an email to the Justice for Ronald Russell Allison Facebook group, Police comment, “As you will appreciate, it is one thing for people to believe who is responsible, but another matter entirely being able to satisfy a criminal court beyond reasonable doubt. The latter is often something that the public struggle to understand, or appreciate, albeit completely understandable.”
Anyone with information should go to their nearest Police Station or call 0800 COLD CASE. You can also email: operationpuha@police.govt.nz or call 105 and quote file number 130125/3212.
https://www.police.govt.nz/stolenwanted/coldcase/2020/russell-allison-2013?nondesktop
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1069920066804292/
New Zealand Mysteries 