Phyllis Baxter

In the early hours of 8 April, South Invercargill seed merchant James Reid Baxter attacked his wife, four sons and daughter with an axe before blowing his head off with a detonator cap. Three of the boys died immediately, while the other three victims lingered for up to a fortnight before succumbing to their horrific injuries. The inquest jury returned a verdict of temporary insanity. Source: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/nz-crime-timeline