A body has been recovered from a dam in the NSW Riverina region following the deaths of four people.
A ONE-line note was all that was left to explain the deaths of a respected farmer, his wife and three children in a suspected murder-suicide that has shattered a farming town.
Police will analyse the handwriting on the unsigned note to determine if it was written by Geoff Hunt, a grain farmer whose family were found shot dead at their Lockhart property, near Wagga Wagga, on Tuesday.
SISTER OF SLAIN MOTHER WAS REALITY TV CONTESTANT
SMILING HUNT FAMILY FACES HID A TERRIBLE TRUTH
Geoff and Kim Hunt with their children Phoebe, Mia and Fletcher / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Police spent almost 24 hours searching for Mr Hunt after the bodies of his wife Kim, 41, and children Fletcher, 10, Mia, 8, and Phoebe, 6, were found at the Watch Hill homestead.
Kim Hunt / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Kim Hunt with daughters Mia and Phoebe / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Police divers yesterday recovered a body, believed to be that of Mr Hunt, and a gun from a dam at the rear or the property. The case is being treated as a murder-suicide, with police ruling out any other suspects.
Phoebe, Fletcher and Mia Hunt / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Homicide Squad and local police will look at all aspects of the family's life to try to find out what led to the tragedy.
Kim and Geoff Hunt / Picture: Suppled Source: Supplied
A friend made the grisly discovery at the picturesque Boree Creek Rd farm, 60km west of Wagga Wagga, and alerted emergency services at 2.51pm on Tuesday.
The Hunt family property in Lockhart, NSW / Picture: Adam Taylor Source: News Corp Australia
The Hunt family / Picture: Sydney Morning Herald, Fairfax Media
Superintendent Bob Noble said police and the community had been devastated.
"Some of the police involved here today live in Lockhart so as you can imagine, it has been a difficult investigation," Supt Noble said.
Kim hunt with daughter Phoebe / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
"The way we feel about it is insignificant compared to those people who are directly affected — family and friends.
"I spent some time at the school early this morning and there are little hearts breaking there all over the place."
A body has been recovered from a dam in the NSW Riverina region following the deaths of a four people.
The three children attended St Joseph's Primary School, which has just 73 students, in Lockhart and were involved in football and netball clubs.
Phoebe Hunt / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Kim Hunt with daughter Mia / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
"The Lockhart community is very strong and resilient and we know they will bond together and support one another in working through this difficult time," principal Debbie Sheather said.
Police at the scene on Boree Creek Road in Lockhart / Picture: Simon Dallinger Source: Supplied
Mrs Hunt was well known as an experienced nurse and road safety campaigner after a car accident involving her and daughter Phoebe in 2012.
Kim Hunt with daughter Phoebe / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Mrs Hunt suffered a serious brain injury, broken neck and spine and had a long journey back to health, but was determined to help the community she loved. She had worked in intensive care and in April returned to Lockhart Hospital, where black ribbons were yesterday tied outside, as a nurse educator.
Fletcher Hunt / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Mia Hunt / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
A local agronomist said the Hunts were "a happy, close family" and Mr Hunt was an "unassuming, calm-natured. likable fellow".
A note in the Lockhart hospital staffroom where Kim Hunt worked as a registered nurse. Picture: Adam Taylor Source: News Corp Australia
Fletcher was due to play in the under-14 Lockhart AFL team against Holbrook in the preliminary final on Saturday.
"They were great community people, a beautiful family. They were involved in the football club.
Phoebe Hunt / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Kim and Geoff Hunt / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
We can't believe what happened," a Lockhart resident said.
"Never in a million years do you think this is going to happen. They were just a normal family. They were no different from your neighbour."
The property's dam with the farmhouse where the bodies were found in the background. Picture: Adam Taylor Source: News Corp Australia
Supt Noble said investigators would speak to members of the community to try to work out what happened.
"Information's coming to hand. Clearly something wasn't right but we'll need to look at all the evidence put together," he said.
Police on scene at the family farm. Picture: Adam Taylor Source: News Corp Australia
A businessman in the Lockhart area told The Daily Telegraph he had seen Mr Hunt at a cropping meeting last week, and he appeared "completely normal".
"There was absolutely no indication that anything was wrong or that anything like this was about to happen. He appeared to be in fine spirits. He's a lovely guy, very easy going and he seemed happy and perfectly normal," the man said.
"All of the farmers are in the same boat and he certainly hadn't fared any worse than anyone else.''
Ben McClellan
AS an established farming family the Hunts were a vital part of the rich, agricultural fabric of rural Lockhart.
With no livestock at their Watch Hill property, the Hunts were "intensive croppers" and among the district's largest landholders, growing wheat, barley and canola.
"They are very efficient farmers, very community minded. They helped with the growth of the town," Mayor Peter Yates said.
Picture: Simon Dallinger. Source: News Corp Australia
A local agronomist said the Hunts — Geoff, his brother Ian and their father John who ran the farm together — were "excellent farmers" and he thought the farm had been doing well financially.
"I did not think there were any financial problems. It has been very dry and conditions were below average but it's been a long, long time of challenging conditions," he said.
"We farmers are hardened."
Lockhart Deputy Mayor Rodger Schirmer said Mr Hunt was a "good, strong, family-minded person".
"Geoff is a good community member and a good farmer," Mr Schirmer said, adding the "good little town and a great community" had been rocked to its core by the suspected murder-suicide.
"We are very close, good community that looks after each other," he said.
Mr Schirmer said the drought had put a lot of strain on farmers.
"Farming is pretty tough. Everyone would like to see some rain," he said.
Superintendent Bob Noble said: "Life on the land is difficult. It's very hard on people
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