Fugitive gang member Joe "Bucket" Coleman is unlikely to have a relaxing Christmas, police say.
The 39-year-old has been on the run for more than a week since a south Auckland transvestite and sex worker was bashed on the head with a baseball bat.
George "Georgie Girl" Matehaere, 34, went to hospital with head injuries on December 16 but was sent home only to be readmitted later. He died on Sunday night.
Police said Coleman would face serious charges when he was caught and believed he was staying out of reach of police to spend Christmas with his family, either in Auckland or Northland where he has strong family connections.
Police earlier warned his family, friends and associates that if they hid Coleman they risked a serious criminal charge.
Detective Senior Sergeant Neil Hallett said police would have no hesitation about calling out the armed offenders' squad on Christmas Day if they learned where Coleman was hiding.
He said most of Coleman's gang connections were fair-weather friends and would not be keen on sheltering him if it meant they faced criminal charges.
Police said they were confident they were closing in on Coleman and knew where he had been staying.
He was thought to be with his partner Diane Henare-Wynyard and their children, but police said he would have to keep "looking over his shoulder" if he wanted to avoid police.
Coleman, of Maori descent, is 1.8m tall man with the words "Mangu Kaha" and a clenched fist tattooed on his forehead. Another tattoo runs across the bridge of his nose.
Anyone with information about Coleman can ring the homicide hotline on (09) 259 1342.
Mr Matehaere is likely to be buried later this week after his body was released following a post-mortem in Auckland.
- NZPA
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