Arsonist targets scene of homicide

A fire in the early hours of Saturday gutted the Ormond St house in Woodville where 49-year-old James Whatuira, of Pahiatua, was murdered by a single shot to the head. Photo / Christine McKay

An arsonist has torched the Woodville house where 49-year-old James (Poto) Whatuira was murdered by a single shot to the head in January.

In the early hours of Saturday, two appliances from the Woodville Volunteer Fire Brigade were called to the Ormond St house which has been at the centre of a homicide inquiry since Mr Whatuira's death on January 4.

"When we arrived at 1am the fire was well involved and there's been quite considerable damage," Eric Bonny the Woodville fire chief told the Dannevirke News.

"Luckily there was no one in the house at the time of the fire."

Mr Bonny said his brigade got the blaze under control quickly, but spent some time dampening down the smouldering house.

Detective Sergeant Johnny Oram of the Manawatu CIB yesterday confirmed the fire had been a result of arson and said police enquiries were ongoing.

For some Woodville residents, the arson attack was upsetting.

"It's horrible," one woman, who didn't wish to be named, said.

"It's scary for neighbours because a spark could have blown into their houses. What sort of people do this?"

The woman said she'd moved to Woodville because the small town had appealed to her, but it was making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

"Our fire brigade have been called to a lot of fires lately and there are rumours around town that we've got an arsonist on the loose," she said.

However, Mr Bonny said he didn't think Woodville had a serial arsonist at work.

"Our callouts have just been to the normal run of fires and it's purely speculation there is an arsonist here," he said.

Late last week, a 32-year-old Woodville man was arrested after a dramatic search by police near the Vinegar Hill reserve in Rangitikei and charged with being party to a murder. He appeared in the Palmerston North District Court on Friday and was granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody until the case is called again at the High Court in Palmerston North on March 16.

A day earlier, a 41-year-old vineyard worker appeared in Christchurch District Court charged with murdering Mr Whatuira. He was also granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody.

Three Dannevirke men, aged 29, 35 and 45, have also been charged with being party to a murder and appeared in Palmerston North District Court last Thursday. All three were given interim name suppression and remanded in custody until the March court date.