Death of elderly man shocks neighbours

Forensic scientists examine the scene of a death in Whangamata. PHOTO/ALISON KING

A suspicious death of an elderly man in a Whangamata home has startled neighbours - including the parents of cricket star Daniel Vettori whose next-door driveway formed part of a forensics probe.

A modest one-storey home in sleepy Achilles Ave has become the centre of a homicide inquiry after a 76-year-old man was found dead there by emergency services about 1.30am yesterday.

Police have so far revealed little about the death, but said an occupant of the house was being spoken to.

"The investigation is currently in its formative stages and it is too early to comment on the nature of how the victim died or any type of weapon used," Detective Senior Sergeant Graham Pitkethley said.

About 20 staff from across the district were working on the inquiry and forensic scientists
were expected to continuing a scene examination today.

Detectives have been sent to Auckland where a post mortem examination will be conducted.

A Coastal News journalist arrived at the scene soon after the incident to find police speaking with a man in the back of an ambulance.

The house is owned by a man, who could not be reached yesterday, and a woman from Hamilton who declined to comment last night.

It is understood the man has listed his address as being at Achilles Ave since at least March last year.

Residents believed the house had been occupied by a man aged in his 50s, who could often be seen walking to the neighbourhood dairy.

The man had also been seen washing his red Toyota Hi-Ace van, which remained in the property's carport yesterday.

The property remained cordoned off and under police guard as a team of forensics investigators focused on an area at the rear of the property, along with a section of driveway over the fence.

Robyn Vettori, who with husband Renzo owns the neighbouring holiday home, said police had not told her what it was they were interested in there.

She slept through the incident then woke to find the house next door, whose occupants she did not know, cordoned off.

Mrs Vettori phoned son Daniel to tell him she was safe, "because I thought our place and next door might be on TV".

Other neighbours expressed surprise that such an incident could have happened in an area described as safe, quiet and filled with unoccupied baches and holiday houses.

A woman who declined to give her name heard a door slam loudly in the house late on Monday.

"It was a really loud bang - it sounded like a really heavy door."

Another neighbour noticed that lights at the house were unusually still on at midnight.

"It's just awful to think what happened there."

Police appealed for anyone with information on the death to phone the Operation Tiger team at Whangamata Police Station on (07) 865 0300, or leave a tip anonymously on 0800 555 111.