A New Year's Eve party in Kaitaia has become the centre of a homicide investigation after a man found badly injured nearby died in hospital today.
Northland police believe the 35-year-old was the victim of an unprovoked attack.
Police were alerted to the incident at about 11pm last night, when a passing patrol car was flagged down in Bonnett Rd and alerted to the man lying on the side of the road.
The victim was later transferred from Kaitaia Hospital to Whangarei Hospital's intensive care unit and placed on life support, but died this afternoon.
Police said they were notifying family of the victim, as an investigation involving 15 police and specialist forensic staff got under way.