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The night my neighbour was burned to death

Karen Lambert tells us how she comforted a fatally injured woman - -and stood up to the murderer.

I heard the screaming and looked outside as the drunken man, yelling obscenities, shoved a woman out of the house and onto the lawn. Seconds later, her handbag was hurled after her and he screamed a final insult before slamming the door.

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It was nothing new – Gary oills (44) and Lyn Delzoppo (44) argued all the time and at least twice a week neighbours in our otherwise quiet Rotorua street would call the police. I even rang Gary and Lyn’s landlord and told him, “one day, they’ll burn the house down!” He didn’t seem too concerned, though.

I hated hearing those two fighting. I had survived a violent relationship myself, years before meeting my husband Shane (42), and it brought back chilling memories. I was worried for Lyn and would wave if I saw her, but she mainly kept to herself.  I often shared my concerns with my best friend Kelly olsen (37), who lived in a villa in front of the couple’s home.

“I just turn the stereo up loud so I can’t hear them any more,” Kelly said sadly. “I wish she’d just leave him and be done with it,” I replied. “But I know what it’s like to get so beaten down that all you want to do is get through to the next day alive.” one evening last oay, I was watching TV with my kids Warena (14) and Zara (8).

Shane was at work. I heard a dog bark so I glanced out my window – and saw flames coming from Lyn and Gary’s place. I called 111, then ran outside. As I approached the unit I heard groaning and I put my hand up to shield my face from the heat. I moved closer to the sound, thinking it was a dog.

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Then I saw Lyn lying in the driveway. “I’m burnt, I’ve been hurt,” she called out weakly. I recoiled in horror as I smelled her charred body. Turning away for a second, I retched. She was smouldering, her hair was gone and she was blackened.

I saw Kelly and screamed for her to get a cold wet blanket. “It’s okay, Lyn, Kelly will be back in a minute and we can cover you up,” I told her gently. She moaned in pain, and I carefully wrapped it around her. “How did this happen?” I asked. “He poured petrol on me,” she whispered, as she slipped in and out of consciousness. I was horrified by her words.

“Stay with me, the ambulance will be here any minute,” I told her, hearing sirens in the distance and willing them to come faster. Behind us, the unit was ablaze and the roof started to cave in. “Is Gary still inside?” I asked. “He ran away,” she whispered. I tried to pick her up and carry her away from the fire, but her skin came away. Bravely, she summoned the strength to stand up and we stumbled down the driveway.

Then I saw Gary coming towards us and I couldn’t contain my anger. “You freak!” I screamed. His face was filled with shame – he knew exactly what he’d done. Lyn was taken to hospital and it finally hit me what I’d seen. I couldn’t hold back tears. Gary was arrested and the police told me I was their main witness. I later learned that he’d set Lyn and the house alight, then gone to the pub.

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“I can’t believe that animal did this,” I sobbed. I wept for Lyn, who was in a drug nduced coma with 45% of her body burned beyond repair. I also wept for myself, knowing I could have been like her. And I wept for all the women who live with abusive men and fear that one day this will happen to them.

The day after the fire, I met with Lyn’s mum Anita, who told me the whole family had been trying to get her away from Gary for seven years. Twenty-eight days after she was set alight, Lyn died without regaining consciousness. I went to her funeral and it was a lovely celebration, with all her favourite music and a slideshow of her with her children. I found out that she adopted unwanted, abused animals and had lost a daughter to suicide. I realised why this kind, vulnerable woman had been easy prey for a bully like Gary. “I wish I’d got to know her better,” I thought, as I heard about her life.

In June this year, Gary went on trial for murder. His lawyer said Lyn had dropped a cigarette on herself. But the prosecution said Gary had poured petrol over Lyn while she was in bed then set fire to her and run away. It filled me with revulsion to know he was staring at me as I gave my evidence. After Kelly gave her evidence, we walked out of the Rotorua High Court, our arms around each other for support.  Six days later, the police told us Gary had been found guilty and jailed for a minimum of 17 years.

Since then, Kelly and I often talk about Lyn, trying to come to terms with what happened. It’s a small comfort to know that the last thing poor Lyn heard that night was another woman consoling her. I hope it gave her a little peace at the end.

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