Fear in Reedy Marsh with suspected killer on the run

Sharon Webb

RESIDENTS OF Reedy Marsh and Deloraine locked their doors and windows or fled the area on January 12 and 13 as police searched for 24 hours for the man they later charged with the murder of Reedy Marsh resident Mike Hawkes.

Reedy Marsh property owners described their emotions as ‘nervous’ and ‘pretty shocked’ as police announced they were looking for a man who ‘may have camouflage paint on his face and may be armed with a knife’.

People in Deloraine also locked their doors, not knowing whether the man now know to be Robert Gerard would come in that direction.

A police search the next day with drones and helicopters showed that he had escaped through rough terrain in the Parkham direction. He was taken into custody at 3.55pm, still armed with a knife.

Former Meander Valley councillor Ian Howard said he went to bed on January 12 with a baseball bat.

Another resident was on his way to a night shift when he heard the news and cancelled work, returning to stay with his partner who was home alone.

Internationally known ceramic artist Neil Hoffman said he was in Launceston when he heard about the police search but his partner had returned to their Larcombes Road property.

‘I phoned her and she drove straight back to Launceston’, he said.

‘But as I got off the phone, she said police had arrived to search the place. We stayed in Launceston two nights until we knew it was over.’

Ian Howard said he had been alone in his Reedy Marsh home. Not knowing whether to leave or stay had been nerve-racking.

Like many Reedy Marsh residents, Ian has a large block with a long 2km driveway through the bush.

‘I asked police whether I could get an escort down the driveway but they didn’t have the manpower to do it so I decided to stay’, he said.

‘It sounded as if they had a fairly good idea of where the person was because they said I’d be OK. It was great that my children weren’t there.’

Ian locked cars, sheds and house doors then collected his axes to prevent anyone gaining entry with them.

‘I was surprised how physical my reaction was’, he said. ‘My heart rate increased and I wandered around the house turning lights on and off. Was it safer with them on or off?’

Ian heard the Westpac helicopter fly over at around 7pm, searching for the man.

‘It flew towards Devonport and then turned around and came back, hovering over Mike and Judy Hawkes’ house for ages.

‘About then a neighbour rang to explain what was happening, saying, “lock your door”.’

Ian slept for a couple of patchy hours. The next day, as helicopters and drones searched, was similarly nerve-racking.

‘I headed out to the coast for a while, driving up the driveway with the dog running in front of the car.’

Another Reedy Marsh couple read the news on the Tas Police Facebook page. They locked cars, garage, camper and house, and stayed inside.

‘We were nervous. When we heard about the knife and the camo gear we freaked’, the man said.

‘We’re totally surrounded by bush so if he was looking to steal a vehicle or get food we were in a vulnerable place. We have a 300m driveway so he could be on us quickly.

‘We thought it was a small chance, but it would have been devastating.’

Reedy Marsh resident Andrew Ricketts said he woke the next morning wondering about the world, especially in the context of the loss of Mike Hawkes.

‘This disaster has shaken me, I admit. Not that I had much faith in humanity to begin with’, he said.

‘Mike was a calm and thoughtful, conservative, caring, gentle giant of a man. I had known him since five new landowners, including Mike and Judy, moved here in 1991. He would not hurt a fly. To this day I cannot believe he is gone.’

Neil Hoffman said he’d lost a neighbour he’d known for nearly 30 years.

‘I still don’t know what really happened. We’ve got to wait for the court case if we want to understand it’, he said.

Both Andrew and Ian commended the police on finding the offender quickly.

‘There was always someone available in police communications to tell me what was happening’, Ian said.

‘A couple of days later a police officer visited to see if I was OK and to let me know about counselling if I needed it.’