Tauranga homeless community mourns Dax Holland’s ‘shock’ death

Dax Holland was a long-time member of Tauranga’s homeless community and a regular at community meals.

The Tauranga homeless community is in “shock” after the death of a well-known regular attendee at community meals, an organiser says.

Under the Stars general manager Ani Stace said Dax Holland’s death on Saturday – reportedly in a homicide – was “really unexpected”.

Deaths in this community were usually from known illness, she said.

Holland was “very well-liked” and “very well-known” across Tauranga’s homeless community and other community meal providers, Stace said.

He had been attending Under the Stars meals since about 2014, when they started.

She estimated Holland to be in his 50s and described him as “a real character”.

“He was a real individual in his thinking and always had something interesting to say.”

Stace said Holland loved music and often had it playing, and was someone people gravitated towards, getting along well with most of them.

Though the organisation had its occasional “ups and downs” with Holland, Stace said it was going to be “really strange” not having him at Under the Stars’ Thursday and Saturday meals.

“It’s very hard to believe that he won’t be popping up asking for some clean socks next time I go in.”

Stace said Holland also volunteered at times, helping to prepare meals and set up tables.

“You could always ask him to carry something for you.

“He was a real friendly, helpful guy.”

She said the group learned of Holland’s death on Saturday through their community, she said.

Ani Stace of Under the Stars says Dax Holland was a "real friendly, helpful guy".

The impact had rippled quickly among people experiencing homelessness.

“The homeless community are really vulnerable to situations like this”, Stace said.

Holland was the fourth member of the community to die during her five years in the role.

Stace said his loss highlighted the humanity behind homelessness, and that people on the streets were not defined by their circumstances but by the lives and experiences that shaped them.

“Behind every face you see on the street, there’s a person with a story.”

Holland would be “hugely missed”, Stace said.

Under the Stars planned to take a moment to remember Holland before its next meal service.

The last post on Holland’s Facebook page was from 2.20am on Saturday and included a collection of uncaptioned selfies, posing with people in the Tauranga CBD.

In a video, he sings George Thorogood & The Destroyers’ Bad to the Bone into a karaoke mic.

Under interests, the page said he loved singing karaoke.

Homicide investigation launched

Police announced on Wednesday that they had opened a homicide case after the death of a man in Tauranga on Saturday.

Police would not confirm the identity of the deceased in the case, but Stuff reported it was Holland, and he has also been identified on social media.

Detective Senior Sergeant Natalie Flowerdew-Brown said the man’s body was discovered in a secluded area of Wharepai Domain about 2pm on Saturday.

A post-mortem examination on Monday established the victim’s death was suspicious.

“We are now working to establish what happened and identify who was involved,” the police Western Bay of Plenty area investigations manager said.

The scene examination had been completed.

Flowerdew-Brown said police would like to speak with anyone who had information that could help the investigation.

“We ask people to contact us if they saw unusual or suspicious behaviour around the Wharepai Domain prior to 2pm on Saturday.”

Anyone with information was asked to contact police online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking “Update report”, or by calling 105. Please use the reference number 260214/8937.

Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers, on 0800 555 111.

Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.