Teenager charged with murdering grandmother, assaulting mother and sister can now be named

The teenager charged with murdering an elderly women and violently assaulting two others at his family’s rural Canterbury property can now be named.

He is Lyndon Jack Seyb King.

It can also be revealed that the woman he allegedly murdered was his 90-year-old grandmother, Jean Edith Seyb.

And the women he is charged with assaulting can now be named as his mother, Marion Seyb, and sister, Portia King.

Until today, court orders prevented the names of the accused and three victims from being published.

But at a hearing in the High Court at Christchurch this morning suppression orders were lifted.

Emergency services were called to King’s family home on Burnham School Road just after 3am on January 27 after a report of disorder.

Police at the scene in January. Photo / Jazlyn Whales

After arriving at the property, police located the body of Jean Seyb.

King was arrested soon after.

Marion Seyb and King’s father, Matthew, are the former owners of Burnham’s Lone Goat Vineyard.

The couple took over the original Giesen vineyard established over 30 years ago in 2007.

The business, situated next door to the home where the alleged murder and assault happened, went into liquidation in January 2022.

Justice Cameron Mander remanded King in custody until his next court appearance in December.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and a trial date has been set for 2027.

A private funeral was held for Seyb, described as “dearly loved wife” of the late Bill.

She was also a “dearly loved mum and mother-in-law” and “a cherished Gran”.

Anna Leask is a senior journalist who covers Christchurch issues and national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for more than 20 years with a particular focus on family and gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual violence and homicides. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, released monthly on nzherald.co.nz.