Female teen appears jointly-charged with murder

Eastern District Field Crime Manager Detective Inspector Mike Foster said he was still appealing to the public for any sightings of a gold Toyota Passo. PHOTO / Supplied.

A female teenager jointly charged with murdering a man found in a roadside drain in Tutira on Monday morning has appeared in court.

The 17-year-old briefly appeared before Judge Tony Adeane in the Napier District Court after she was arrested this morning.

She was charged with robbing the deceased of his car and two cellphones, immediately after causing grievous bodily harm to him, and murder.

Represented by defence lawyer Matthew Pheps, she was granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody to appear again in the Napier High Court on January 29.

On Monday night a 17-year-old male was arrested and charged with murdering the same man.

He was granted interim name suppression and remanded in custody to appear again on January 29.

The deceased, who cannot be name due to an interim suppression order, was discovered on the side of Matahourua Rd, Tutira, by a passing motorist around 9.30am on Monday.

Eastern District Field Crime Manager Detective Inspector Mike Foster said he was still appealing to the public for any sightings of a gold Toyota Passo – registration JGQ144 - which was driven between Hastings and Tutira on Sunday evening and around the Hawke's Bay area throughout Monday.

People who may have information are urged to contact Hawke's Bay Police 06 873 0531 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.