A woman was killed after an alleged robbery at a popular New Zealand couple in the American state of California, reported the BBC, quoted by BTA.
Banker Doug McKay and his wife Patricia (Trish) on July 2 were shopping at the shopping center “Fashion Island” in Newport Beach when they were attacked on their way out by a group of men, local authorities said.
Sixty-eight-year-old Trish McKay, who was close to New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, was killed after being dragged down the road by a car in the ensuing events, the Orange County District Attorney's Office added. Three suspects have been charged with her murder.
Detailing what happened about 72 km southeast of Los Angeles, prosecutors said two masked men jumped out of a car while the couple was waiting to be picked up outside the mall.
They allegedly pointed a gun at Doug McKay's head, ordered him to lie on the ground and hand over the expensive watch he was wearing.
One of the men also attacked his wife, trying to take her shopping bags. He is accused of throwing her to the ground, after which she was dragged along the road.
McKay jumped in front of the attackers' car and tried to hold back his wife, but the driver sped up, the prosecutor's office said in a statement. The car pushed the elderly man off the road, and his wife was dragged 20 meters under the car, where she died. A bystander tried to stop the group, but was shot by one of the criminals.
Police are believed to have chased the attackers at high speed for more than 60km. They were arrested and identified as Leroy Ernest Joseph McCrary, 26, Malachi Edward Darnell, 18, and Jaden Cunningham, 18.
All three have been charged with aggravated murder, which, according to the prosecutor's office, gives them the right to seek the death penalty. One of the suspects, McCrary, has also been charged with second-degree robbery and fleeing by reckless driving.
Sixty-nine-year-old Doug McKay is the first chief executive of Auckland Council, a body set up in 2010 to help run the country's Auckland region. According to the information of “Los Angeles Times” is also a former chairman of the Bank of New Zealand.
Family members released a statement to local media saying: "No words can express our sadness as we try to come to terms with the loss.