If Clayton Weatherston had any underlying psychological issues, he kept them well hidden at high school, a former school friend says.
Weatherston was friendly, liked a laugh and seemed to get on well with everyone at Kaikorai Valley High School, in Dunedin, said the friend, who did not want to be identified.
"He had all the hallmarks of the school nerd, because he was into his studies in a big way, but certainly wasn't nerdy in character.
"He got on with everyone, to my knowledge."
Given the crime he later committed, it would be obvious to look back to Weatherston's school days and try to find indicators of what he had clearly become 16 years on.
"But, to be honest, he was just like most of the other kids at school, albeit it a bit more driven and focused," the school friend said.
"I never saw him lose his temper, get into fights or have any of the normal conflicts teenagers have with each other.
"His relationship with females seemed to be totally fine."
Weatherston stood out as being very ambitious and extremely focused, academically.
He was regarded as a natural frontrunner for the school's top academic prize, and duly became dux.
He was also quite sporty, focusing on athletics rather than team sports.
Weatherston was well groomed at school.
"The Clayton Weatherston look that I recall was Levi's 501 jeans rolled up at the bottom a touch, with white socks and boat shoes."
At a chance meeting in 2007, the friend was quite surprised to see Weatherston wearing baggy jeans, jandals, wooden beads around his neck and had longish hair.
"I guess that was in keeping with his move into academia."
