Don Lennox
Encyclopedia
Don Lennox was a fictional character in the soap opera
Shortland Street
. He was the soap's local mechanic and hitman
. He appeared in both 2008 and 2009 and was portrayed by Chris Easly. Though Don only appeared in the show a few times, he featured in two prominent storylines and another similarly prominent storyline. Don died in December 2009 after a gunshot to the chest.
. As Craig travelled home, Don and two other men knocked him off the road and pursued him through heavy forest. Craig managed to hide his evidence against Scott Spear before Don and the whitetails caught him and beat him to death. Don and his two cronies then put Craig in his car and set him and the car afire.
. Don and his henchmen broke into Justine's car and hid a mobile phone-controlled bomb in the boot. Justine discovered it and drove away after she changed the SIM card with her own phone. When she was far away enough from Don's hidden car, she put the SIM card back in and ran. The car exploded and Justine was believed dead. She actually had escaped to Australia.
Don next appeared when Kieran Mitchell
went to his workshop and overheard him talking about how he was hired to kill Justine. Kieran told this to Chris Warner
, who went investigating on his own. Don knew something was up and gunmen were dispatched to the hospital to kill Chris. Chris survived and the only major casualty was Ethan Pierce
who was shot.
for $20,000. Kieran soon decided this was a bad idea but could not get in contact with Don. Meanwhile, Don took aim at Ethan in his silent suburban street. But Ethan managed to escape, albeit unwittingly. But on 19 December 2008, Ethan was shot and killed. A whodunit
-style storyline arose, with Don as one of the suspects. A distraught Kieran was forced to give Don the money. Despite Don not being involved in the murder, he still took credit for it while an upset Kieran confessed to the police. Don jumped the ditch and hid in Australia. Maia Jeffries
eventually admitted to the killing of Ethan, but was found not guilty due to insanity.
. They pretended to be policemen. But Hunter spotted Whitetail tattoos on them, and he slowed them down by pretending to have lost his wallet. Don arrived and pushed Hunter to the ground. Hunter made a run for it and alerted police that Don and the Whitetails are back. On the drive to the trial, Callum
was forced to go with Brooke Freeman
. Don was waiting at the courthouse hiding in a bush. As the family came out of the two separate cars, Don mistook Brooke for Justine and shot her but she survived.
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Shortland Street
Shortland Street
Shortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
. He was the soap's local mechanic and hitman
Hitman
A hitman is a person hired to kill another person.- Hitmen in organized crime :Hitmen are largely linked to the world of organized crime. Hitmen are hired people who kill people for money. Notable examples include Murder, Inc., Mafia hitmen and Richard Kuklinski.- Other cases involving hitmen...
. He appeared in both 2008 and 2009 and was portrayed by Chris Easly. Though Don only appeared in the show a few times, he featured in two prominent storylines and another similarly prominent storyline. Don died in December 2009 after a gunshot to the chest.
Murder of Craig Valentine
Don first appeared on the show in September 2008. He was one of the hitmen who was hired by the dodgy pharmaceutical company Scott Spear to kill local doctor Craig ValentineCraig Valentine
Dr. Craig Valentine is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He was portrayed by Renato Bartolomei for four years from May 2004 to September 2008....
. As Craig travelled home, Don and two other men knocked him off the road and pursued him through heavy forest. Craig managed to hide his evidence against Scott Spear before Don and the whitetails caught him and beat him to death. Don and his two cronies then put Craig in his car and set him and the car afire.
Attempted murder of Justine Jones
Don's next appearance was when Scott Spear hired him and the whitetails once again to kill doctor Justine JonesJustine Jones
Justine Jones was a fictional character on the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. Justine was originally played by Laurie Foell in 2005 and 2006, but was replaced by Lucy Wigmore in 2007 who portrayed her until September 2008 and as a guest character in July 2009.-Casting:Controversy struck in 2007...
. Don and his henchmen broke into Justine's car and hid a mobile phone-controlled bomb in the boot. Justine discovered it and drove away after she changed the SIM card with her own phone. When she was far away enough from Don's hidden car, she put the SIM card back in and ran. The car exploded and Justine was believed dead. She actually had escaped to Australia.
Don next appeared when Kieran Mitchell
Kieran Mitchell
Kieran Mitchell is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street who was portrayed by British actor Adam Rickitt through numerous high profile storylines from early 2007 to mid 2010....
went to his workshop and overheard him talking about how he was hired to kill Justine. Kieran told this to Chris Warner
Chris Warner
Dr. Christopher "Chris" Warner is a fictional character and current main protagonist on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. He is portrayed by Michael Galvin. He is the only original character to still be on the show....
, who went investigating on his own. Don knew something was up and gunmen were dispatched to the hospital to kill Chris. Chris survived and the only major casualty was Ethan Pierce
Ethan Pierce
Dr. Ethan Pierce is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street and was portrayed by Owen Black from August 2008 to January 2009 and again from May to June 2009...
who was shot.
Ethan Pierce
In the final week of 2008, Ethan Pierce's business partner, Kieran Mitchell, hired Don to kill Ethan PierceEthan Pierce
Dr. Ethan Pierce is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street and was portrayed by Owen Black from August 2008 to January 2009 and again from May to June 2009...
for $20,000. Kieran soon decided this was a bad idea but could not get in contact with Don. Meanwhile, Don took aim at Ethan in his silent suburban street. But Ethan managed to escape, albeit unwittingly. But on 19 December 2008, Ethan was shot and killed. A whodunit
Whodunit
A whodunit or whodunnit is a complex, plot-driven variety of the detective story in which the puzzle is the main feature of interest. The reader or viewer is provided with clues from which the identity of the perpetrator of the crime may be deduced before the solution is revealed in the final...
-style storyline arose, with Don as one of the suspects. A distraught Kieran was forced to give Don the money. Despite Don not being involved in the murder, he still took credit for it while an upset Kieran confessed to the police. Don jumped the ditch and hid in Australia. Maia Jeffries
Maia Jeffries
Maia Anne Jeffries is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She was portrayed by Anna Jullienne from mid 2004 to early 2011, with the character starring in numerous high profile storylines alongside her on screen family....
eventually admitted to the killing of Ethan, but was found not guilty due to insanity.
Return to New Zealand and another attempt at Justine
Somewhere between January and July 2009, Don returned to New Zealand. Justine Jones made her return "from the dead" as well so she could give evidence in the Scott Spear trial. Justine's life was in huge danger, so she was kept in a safehouse. Whitetail thugs who murdered Craig arrived at the McKay's house to greet HunterHunter McKay
Hunter McKay is a fictional character in the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He has been portrayed by Lee Donoghue since he first appeared in December 2006 as part of a new family unit consisting of parents Callum McKay and Justine Jones and younger sister Sophie McKay .The character is gifted...
. They pretended to be policemen. But Hunter spotted Whitetail tattoos on them, and he slowed them down by pretending to have lost his wallet. Don arrived and pushed Hunter to the ground. Hunter made a run for it and alerted police that Don and the Whitetails are back. On the drive to the trial, Callum
Callum McKay
Callum McKay is a fictional character portrayed by actor Peter Mochrie in the TVNZ soap opera Shortland Street. He is a doctor and the Chief Executive Officer of Shortland Street Hospital.-Introduction:...
was forced to go with Brooke Freeman
Brooke Freeman
Brooke Freeman is a fictional character from the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street, played by Beth Allen. Brooke debuted on-screen during the episode airing on 24 July 2008. The role was written with Allen in mind to play her. Brooke arrived as a locum GP but later advanced in her career...
. Don was waiting at the courthouse hiding in a bush. As the family came out of the two separate cars, Don mistook Brooke for Justine and shot her but she survived.