BROCKVILLE HOMICIDES: THE AFTERMATH MERCER 'NOT SEEN AS SIGNIFICANT RISK'

Kelvin Mercer was voluntarily receiving treatment for his cannabis smoking
habit at Dunedin Hospital and was showing signs of improvement before
allegedly killing his estranged wife and their 6-month-old baby, it was
confirmed yesterday.

Otago District Health Board chief executive Brian Rousseau said Mr Mercer
had attended three sessions of a drug and alcohol treatment service at
Dunedin Hospital.

His last was on Wednesday evening, the night before police believe he
killed his estranged wife, Wendy Mercer, and their baby boy, Will Mercer.

He had referred himself to the drug and alcohol programme on May 6, in an
effort to maintain access to his children, Mr Rousseau said. He was showing
signs of improvement and a willingness to continue the programme the night
before the Ettrick St deaths.

At no time did Mr Mercer display symptoms of psychotic or depressive
disorder and his cannabis use was not considered a warning of events to
come, he said.

"Cannabis use is not unusual in New Zealand . . . are you saying every
cannabis user has the potential to commit murder? I don't think you can
come to that conclusion.

"This person was not seen as being a significant risk," he said.

A work colleague claimed on television last night Kelvin Mercer choked
unconscious a colleague at the PPCS plant in Mosgiel two months ago.
Speaking on Holmes , PPCS worker Don Miller said Mr Mercer had undergone an
anger management programme after the incident.

Mr Mercer's actions - placing his victim in a "sleeper hold" until he
passed out - had left his victim unconscious for about 30 seconds, Mr
Miller said.

"He knew he did wrong; he even admitted he did, and he went to anger
management over it," Mr Miller said.

Mr Mercer had arrived for work early last Thursday morning distraught and
had confessed to "keying" the car that belonged to Wendy Mercer's new
boyfriend, Mr Miller said. About 6am, he had broken down and confessed he
felt like going to Mrs Mercer's Ettrick St home and "smashing their heads
in", Mr Miller said.

After trying to reason with him, Mr Miller sent Mr Mercer home with advice
to seek help.

"I looked in his face and you did not know where he was," Mr Miller said.

Just over an hour later, Mr Mercer was pulled badly burned, but at that
stage still alive, from the home that also contained the bodies of Mrs
Mercer and the couple's son, Will.

Mr Mercer died in Middlemore Hospital in Auckland on Saturday, two days
after he received burns to 40% of his body.

Mr Miller last night said Mr Mercer had never spoken badly of his estranged
wife, despite disputes over custody and visiting rights for his children.
He had been a regular user of marijuana but had all but given up using the
drug.

"I think there's more to this than just a jealous ex-husband.

"There's only two people that know what happened but, sadly enough, they
are not going to be here, ever," Mr Miller said.